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DEDICATION. 



I pE>,ic.-TE this book to llajor-General William B. Feaxklik, as, 
„, .light token of my respect for hhn as'a soldier, a gentlemau, and a 
patriot. Y. COLBURN ADAm\ 

WA?iu:>(iTON, D. C-., Oc/. 10//i, 1S65. . 



THE 



^TORY OF A TllOOPER. 



WITH MUCH OF INTEREST CONCERNING THE 

CAMPAIGN ON THE PENINSULA, 

NOT BEFORE WRITTEN. 



By F. COLBURN ADAMS, 

Itjthob of Chronicles of the Bastilk ; Our World ; The Outcast ; Adven- 
tures OF Major Roger Sherman Potter, &o., &Ck 



NEW YORK: 
DICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS. 

1805. 



Entered liccordhig to Act of Congress, in the year ISCo, 

By F. COLBUUN ADAMS, 

m the Clck's CXnce of the District Court oivthe United States for the 

Southern District of New T-rlc. 






CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



For more than forty years a timid old man, wlio 
never Iiad an established principle of liis own, had traf- 
ficked in political popularity and the opinions of others, 
until he found himself at the head of and guiding the 
destinies of a great people. The fears of this timid 

^ old man were always uppermost, and where a long road 

was open to wrong he was sure to take it, in preference 
to a short one leading to right. This timid old man 

/ now^ sat trembling at tlie head of the nation, and ready 

to yield it a prey to the revolution he had done so much 

If to bring on. The Nc ;th regretted him, and the South 

had used him. But when he had served her purpose, 
aided her in trampling upon the dearest rights of human- 
ity, and insulting the manliness of the North, she cast him 
aside as a thing of no further use, to be looked back 
to and remembered by the people with a feeling of sor- 
row. This timid old man— now forgotten even in the 
contempt of his countrymen, and on whose tombstone 
some future hand should write : ''Died for want of a 
principle''— had hopes and fears in abundance. He was 



S 



4, THE STOKY OF A TUOOPliK. 

unoc-rtmu in even thing, oort.in in Molhing- If l.e an- 
ol.orcd 10 ono tl.ing to-doy, l.o was snrc to slult 1... 
U-ronna and pl-.u'O irnnsoir upon auolhor t,o-n,orrow. 
Ti-aitovs use.- him a. Ih.-y xvouhi a mouUl : ho was 
ahvav. ready to be .hapod to their wi.ho. -and ,u>^^^ 
when the follies of the South, winch ho had done >o 
,„„,,, ,„ oneoura:.e dnring hi. polit.oa bletune, h d 
In-on.^.i revolution and its attendant, horrors on the 
,„„„l,v. he stood amazed and like a powerless cluld. 
W-vr was a stern reality, but the shocks it was pro- 
dudnsouthe eonutry tailed to awake him Irom h,s 
tveaci.crous dream, lie still hoped, st.ll feared, ^t.ll 

wanted to wait. , 

.\„d now this tiudd old n,an, dupe ot demagogue. 
and obieet of the patriot's pity, has passed from power 
.,l„,o.HVon. the thoughts of his countrymen, and 1. It 
Lis eouutrv to struggle for existence in war and con- 
fusion, lie has gone into unenviable exile, and sorrow 
bo to the historian who shall attempt to pnnfy Ins 

"''"r"rnaer, tmt a n.an of higher purpose and bettor 
ohar-.cter had risen up and taken the destnues of ho 
• ' p u to his bauds, lie was to decide whether the 
..adic should live or die, whether we should have 
on uatiou or a divided people. Hut scarcely had he 
t'kcu his place at the head of the nat.on. when t^he 
* al of arlus was heard in South Carolina, and ^umter 
f ■„ The uatiou-s flag had been insulted by those who 
had needed its protection most, and the echo of he 
• I It worked Sumter-s fall awoke the^>us„lted 
; pie of the Xorth from their dull, deep dream of 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 5 

d.er s hfe was to be a feast of plon. uj K ' t'° " 
'-•"-' fi.e focus of tln-s ..oat ll-Scnt "",, ""' 

-.ppon of the Golr. . ' ' c::'.;;.a"T ^""'f ^" 

iiiii- ill cvevv ^tron^- f] . • -* ^'1 ^'und drums beat- 

■-"<! ..■..,. ,0 ,„„ ...„;.M „ rt " ?~- 

^vas quick to o-et her.Plf .'.f^ ^ ^^tiiion. Aew 1 ork 

goneiuto the busiueiof kL^^rof tr'""r" '"'^ 
endor.iug the lovaltv of t "der l.o 7 " '" '"'^ 
»«• to Washington. "The u iH n- . 1- "" ^ ■''*'"'- 
'•«" I'is^-i iudeed. and coin' ,' '■''''°"' °^ "'^" 
sonohtforbvat le." ' com.u.ssions were 

-horn knew a vtl £ of <T"""f "' ""'"''^^'^ ^^^ "^ 

readv stock of honor „-i-,;, -^"^ tliev had a 

at anvtii^errt: '•■""" "'"'"S-topIedge ' 

the enemv I ,e Si '"'° '"^ field, to the ten-o- .of 

been oLcd, there Vo^ldh,' '" " ^"''^ ^^"^'^'^^ ''^^ 

tl.eso gentle ,en fin H " 4 to t'T "•' '^'"""'•^" '' 
their own abiliiv , r ' '"^'^ '^' confident of 

fine, the LI > ^rw::::''' ?;T ""'"'°°'^- I" 

going to the.war i:r:;:';^;;^"- '"' ^^ ^^- ^-- 



Q THE STOEY OF A TKOOPEB. 

Maiden Lane tlnnking the Gove.n.^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 

extra regiment or so '^['^l^^'J. advertisement, 

-^^^^r a"tt"\ttSo' Broadway,, for the 
proposing a meetu^ .measures to raise a regiment of 
purpose of c^" _^<^'"^ C^l^„,^ ,,as wanted, to whom 
volunteer cavali}. J^ vMiIp horse of srreat value, 
.ould be presented --arable ho s^ ^.^ ^^_^^^, .^^^ 
and a near relation to ^^tc hen. ^^^^ 

attractive about the .^^ver semen^ as t ^^^ 

about the wild, das^nng f ^H.^^anship being 
skillful horsemen weie to W y- ,. ^g 

considered ne«^o a -fult^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

remembered tha ^^^J^^^^ ,,,, of military dis- 
,,e Government made tha^^ g ^ ^^^ ^^_^^ ^^^ 

coveries, that it is no ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^p. 

ride before you - --^r^wi* carbine, sabre and 
„ents,a.id B-K^l^'" the enemy. There were 
pistols, in the field » ^= ^,,ler in jewelry 

rntttynrrgentleman,toha.ardliisfor- 

tuneonsodangerousanenterp^^^^^^^ 

When night came, I fo"'^'' ™5 s ^^ ^^^^ 

trance of a long, narrow P^^-g l^« ^\,,, ^^ed by 
^est side of Broadway ai^adm,^^^. ^^ ^_^^^^_ 

a singing society. l^^J'^^^^:,,^,,, forth the ob- 
and began reading ^^^ ^^'S P°:;\ gentleman passed in, 

jeet of tb«;f ^t"^8;^^.3^ twa about to go away, when 
then one of lean figm e 1 was ^^^^^_ 

a very tall man, in -j": f ^ a firm, military 
and booted and spurred, past^eci 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 



step. He presented a true figure of the melancholy 
man in black, a name we afterwards gave him. His 
gait and manner so attracted my attention, that I fol- 
lowed him into the hall, which presented a somewhat 
quaint appearance, considering the military object of 
the meeting. The two rows of benches on the floor 
were occupied by about a dozen and a half demure 
looking gentlemen, while on the raised platform in 
front a dozen or so of very unmilitary looking men 
sat in a semi-circle. For a time no one seemed inclined 
to speak, and the meeting had an appearance of pass- 
ing off with remarkable quietness. At length the 
gentleman from Maiden Lane came forward and, with 
a defective intonation, stated the object of the meeting, 
and was elected president. A young, active and in- 
telligent man, of the name of Bailey, and who has 
since distinguished himself in several encounters with 
the enemy, was chosen secretary. We were told that 
Colonel Baj^ard Clarke, a gallant officer, and polished 
gentleman, had gone to Washington to offer his services 
to the Government to raise this regiment ; that much 
depended on the encouragement he received there. He 
would return in a few days, when his report would be 
laid before us. Colonel Clarke had served in the reg- 
ular cavalry, in the same regiment with Harney, and 
had distinguished himself for gallantry during the last' 
Florida war. He had also served his country in Con- 
gress, and was now prompted by the purest motives, 
in offering his services to the Government. It is fair 
to presume that such a man knew something of cavalry, 
and that his services would have been exceedingly val- 
uable to the Government. 



g THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 

There was now brought forward and introduced to 
ns a small, dark-visaged man, quick of speech, and 
ornamented with the title of Major. I rarely ever 
saw a more uumilitary looking gentleman. According 
to the many accounts he gave of himself he had served m 
several armies, was a particular friend and old acquamt- 
ance of General Scott, and had particularly distm- 
o-uished himself in Venezuela, in the wars of winch he 
had brought off scars enough to satisfy us that he was 
a brave man. The Major had brought his sabre with 
him and after discoursing in detail on the various uses 
of cavalry, setting forth in glowing terms how tliey 
could break a column and throw the enemy's line into 
confusion, how in charging upon and capturing a bat- 
tery they must first draw tlie enemy's fire, he went 
through a few exhibitions of his skill in the use of the 
sabre. Cavalry, with him, was the finest flower of our 
army, and he had given his life to the study of its uses. 
The Major was indeed clever with the sabre, and we 
becran to think we had a jewel of a trooper, under 
■svhose leadership we were all to be made famous in the 
history of the war. But lie damaged his feathers some- 
what by the wonderful accounts given of his own ex- 
ploits performed in battles some of us had never heard 
of and with whioli he would have entertained us until 
midnight, each of his exploits far surpassing in bold- 
ness anything done by Mi.rat, Nolan, Cardigan, or 
Hodo-son, but for an ill-looking and irrepressible 
Scotchman who shuffled to the edge of the platforni 
and interrupted the speaker by requesting to know 
if a little time could not be granted him to relate his 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 9 

exploits in India, which he was quite sure would ex- 
ceed in terrible interest anything the gallant Major 
bad done or indeed heard of in Venezuela. The Major 
yielded, and the chair gracefully granted his request. 

Our Scotch friend was evidently an honest, simple- 
minded man, who spoke in a broad provincial accent, 
which, with a total disregard of Mr. Murray, and his 
rules of speech, afforded us much amusement. His 
figure, too, was not such as to produce grave misap- 
prehensions, for he was a thick, solid man, excessively 
short of leg, and with a flat, bald head, and an inexpres- 
sive face. Indeed, he must have cut a sorry figure when 
mounted, either as a heavy or light horseman. But, 
according to his own account, he had been a terror to 
the natives of Oude, as well as Affghanistan. I noticed 
also that the dark-visaged Major listened to his stories 
with a solemn countenance, as if his feathers had fallen. 
Our Scotch friend was proud of the service he had 
seen, of his horsemanship, and of his skill with the 
sabre. He had served in her Majesty's heavy horse, 
also in the Bengal cavalry. As to the war in Affghan- 
istan he had been all through it, and won laurels enough 
to make a hero of any man all the rest of his life. The 
Major might show his scars; they were the jewels every 
brave soldier wore ; but he would show him more 
scars on a single leg. What he had done in battle was 
not all. He had had combats with tigers while serv- 
ing under Hodgson, in Oude. On one occasion two 
of the desperate brutes attacked him, one at each leg, 
and would have unhorsed and devoured him but that 
his boots came off, and tlie hungry beasts ran into 
1* 



10 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

a jungle tliiuking they had got his legs. A brisk Irish 
gentleman of the name of O'Mara, interrupting, wanted 
to know if tigers were not remarkably fond of break- 
fasting on one of her Majesty's fat troopers? This was 
rather too much for the sturdy trooper, who paused, 
rested both hands on his big stick, and for a minute 
seemed counseling his wits for an answer. "It is 
neither here nor there, gentlemen,'' said he, regaining 
confidence. " What I have said is God's truth, and I 
have letters enough to prove what I have said, at home." 
Here he changed the character of his discourse, and 
began giving us a few lessons on the best mode of se- 
curing a good seat, how to keep the bridle hand during 
a charge, and how with a swift back stroke of the 
sabre we could displace the head of an enemy at one 
blow. He now commenced flourishing his big stick 
with wonderful agility, making sundry strokes, until at 
length he brought it in contact with the young secre- 
tary's nose, much to the amusement of the audience and 
alarm of those in his^immediate vicinity. The young 
secretary was not inclined to lose his temper, and 
taking the ancient trooper by the arms kindly assisted 
him into his seat, begging him to subside. 

Mr. O'Mara, the bold Irish gentleman, now came 
forward as the next speaker. I must here say that 
this gentleman afterwards held a commission in the 
Tammany regiment, and behaved with great gallantry 
in the battle of Ball's Bluff. Mr. O'Mara had heard 
gentlemen who had served in the jungles of India, and 
gentlemen wlio liad seen wonders in South America 
talk before ; but he could tell them there was no place 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 11 

like tlie plains of America for a trooper to show his 
pluck. They might tell about breaking the euem3^'s 
columns, charging upon and capturing batteries, and all 
that sort of thing; but had either of them been out 
on the frontier fighting Indians ? Here he cast a look of 
admonition at the ancient trooper and the little Major. 
He had served in the mounted rifles, and had an hon- 
orable discharge. He had been a Ranger, too, in Texas 
and knew what it was to do good fighting on the 
plains. If any gentleman present thought he did not, all 
he had to do was to afford him an opportunity of satis- 
fying him. The audience here laughed heartily, and the 
speaker becoming conscious that he had thrown down 
a challenge made a pleasant apology. O'Mara, was a 
good soldier and sensible man. He gave us some good 
advice in regard to the dangerous services cavalry had 
to perform, what had been done on the plains, how also 
to take care of horses, and indeed much more that was 
valuable relating to the internal economy of the ser- 
vice. " Gentlemen," said he, in "conclusion, " I am an 
Irishman; but I love my adopted country, have served 
her faithfully, and am ready to serve her again. If 
you want a trooper, O'Mara is your man." 

When the last speaker sat down, a tall, long-jointed 
and squint-eyed man, of the name of Carr, rose and 
made some very sensible remarks concerning cavalry 
and its use. It was no trifling matter to raise a regi- 
ment of cavalry, and the first question to be determined 
was, whether we could get skillful riders enough in 
New York to do it. There were men enough who 
could do fancy riding in the Park, but the kind of 



12 THE STORY OF A TROOPER, 

riding necessary for the field, was a very different thing. 
No doubt, a majority of men would prefer going to the 
war a-horseback. It was a pleasanter way than tramp- 
ing through the mud with a knapsack and musket on 
one's shoulders; but he could tell us there was not one 
man in ten you could ever make a trooper of. You 
might mount men in the saddle and call them cavalry, 
but unless they were expert riders, and trained to fight 
in the saddle, it was the readiest way in the world to 
get them killed off. And it was not pleasant to be 
killed for want of experience necessary to defend one's- 
self. Beside, unless cavalry were well drilled, it was a 
useless expense to the Government, and a costly incum- 
brance to the movements and efficiency of an army. 
He had lived in the South, and knew southern men to 
be very expert riders. Here he recounted what he had 
witnessed many of them perform in the tournament, 
and referred particularly to Ashby. He regarded it 
madness to go into the field until we were in a condi- 
tion to cope with these men. Let, however, the regi- 
ment be raised, and he would take hold and assist. 
But we ought to first know whether the Government 
wanted cavalry. 

The last speaker was succeeded by a gentleman in 
the body of the house. Mr. Briggs, for such was his 
name, took occasion to say that what the gentleman 
last up had said, was very discouraging to young men 
anxious and ready to enter the service. He knew from 
what he had read of the great hardships cavalry had 
to undergo, of the dangers of the service, as well as its 
attractions. But he had great faith in the adaptability 



THE STORY OF A 'TROOPER. 1 



Q 



of tlie American character. Americans could learn to 
do anything and everything, perhaps not so thoroughly 
as some other people, but well enough for all necessary 
purposes, even war. If they undertook to make tliem- 
selves familiar with the business of cavalry, they would 
do it, and quicker than any other people. Tliis was 
the first attempt to raise a regiment of volunteer cav- 
alry for the war, and he would have every man present 
brace up his patriotism, and put his shoulder to the 
wheel. We must learn the art of war, just as we had 
learned the various professions men followed. There 
was in Westchester county a gentleman of the name of 
Yan Allen, who had made a move towards raising some 
cavalry. We had better open a communication with 
him, and see what our joint efibrts would result in. 
He was for raising tliis regiment, and showing what 
could be done with volunteer cavalry. But he had un- 
derstood from good authority, tliat the Government at 
Washington regarded cavalry with indifference. 

Here the melancholy man in black, whom I had fol- 
lowed into the hall, rose, and laying aside his cloak, 
begged permission to say a few words. He did not 
come here to be the teacher of veterans, nor to take 
exception to what had been said by troopers who 
had served in India and Venezuela. He had traveled 
in Labrador, in Newfoundland, and Canada, where 
he had resided for many years. He did not know any- 
thing about this Mr. Van Allen, and would like a gen- 
tleman present to tell him if he knew anything about 
cavalry. Because, if he did not, he was sure to want 
to be Colonel of the res-iment. He thought we had 



14 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

better let Mr. Van Allen raise his own regiment. He 
would, however, like to know if this Mr. Van Allen 
was a bold, dashing man. For, without a bold, dash- 
ing leader, cavalry must be a dead weight about the 
neck of the army. A gentleman on the platform inter- 
rupted the speaker, by saying that this Van Allen had 
shown remarkable courage in an encounter (over a 
dinner table) with a famous Russian Count, and would, 
doubtless, when in battle, show himself a true man 
and a soldier. This did not seem to carry the popu- 
lar sentiment, which was evidently against having any- 
thing to do with Van Allen and his troopers. 

The melancholy man in black continued. He would 
have the regiment mounted on Canadian horses. They 
were touglier, and better adapted to stand the severity 
and exposure of a Virginia winter. He had seen some 
service himself, and had served in South America. In 
trutli, he belonged to a cavahy family, and had a sabre 
of great weight and age, which had come down to him 
from his forefathers, and had a remarkable history. If 
he only had it with him, he would show them what 
could be done at a single stroke with the sabre. (This 
queer sabre afterwards became celebrated in the regi- 
ment, and was captured and returned to him by one of 
Imboden's officers.) 

The night was now far advanced, and some eighteen 
or twenty persons having enrolled their names, the 
meeting adjourned to meet at Palace Garden, on the 
following night, and hear a report from Washington. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE SECOND MEETING, AND THE QUESTION OF FUNDS. 

When we met at Palace Garden tliere was a large 
increase to our numbers, many of them young men of 
the right kind to give a successful turn to our enter- 
prise. We had got rid of her Majesty's talkative 
trooper and a few others, who were calculated to inter- 
rupt rather than advance any enterprise. At that time 
the 2^ress was a powerful aid to recruiting, and it had 
generously lent us its power in attracting attention to 
our undertaking. Among those who now joined us, 
and who afterwards figured honorably in the fortunes 
of the regiment, I will mention Joseph Stearns, Daniel 
Harkins, and a young man of erect figure, and remark- 
able for his beauty, of the name of Henry Hidden. 
There also joined us at this place a huge politician — 
a character so remarkable for his eccentricities, that I 
venture to assert this war has produced nothing to 
compare with him. His stories of himself were as en- 
tertaining, if not as reliable, as anything written of 
Don Quixote. No matter how absurd a story you told, 
he could beat you in one told with himself as the hero. 
His adventures in love, war and politics were numer- 



16 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ous as tlie stars. He had served in the Mexican war, 
but up to this day none of us have been able to dis- 
cover in what capacity. He disclaimed ever having been 
a surgeon, and hints were thrown out that he might 
have been a sutler. He knew (at least he said he did) 
and was on intimate relations with all the great men of 
the country. In truth. General Scott always shook 
hands with him when he met him, and no man ever 
made him a bow who was not a particular friend. As 
I liave said before, he was a man of ponderous figure, 
with a small, unintellectual head, crowned with a mat 
of bushy hair. He was excessively vain of his appear- 
ance, knew and attended to everyone's business but 
his own, lived and flourished in an atmosphere of per- 
petual trouble, and could no more keep from making 
mischief than a duck could keep out of a neighboring 
pond. In a word, he was a sort of cross between 
Turvydrop and Paul Pry. 

We now numbered about sixty enrolled names and, 
forming into squads, commenced drilling, with O'Mara, 
the melancholy man, and a fine looking young cor- 
poral of the name of Myers, of the regulars, and 
who was kindly permitted to act in this capacity by 
Captain Eagle, then on recruiting service in New York. 
There was also a Lieutenant Charles Ogle, formerly of 
the regular cavalry, a man of rare genius, and an efii- 
cient officer, who, with one Sergeant Ditcher, who had 
followed Nolan in his desperate charge at Balaclava, 
rendered us good service as instructors in cavalry tac- 
tics. Ladies came to witness our drill, friends offered 
their assistance, and things went on with every appear- 



THE STORY or A TROOPER. , 17 

ance of a bright prospect for several nights. Tlien a 
dispute arose in regard to the kind of drill that should 
Le adopted. The smart young corporal, who had be- 
come a favorite with us all, and O'Mara, were for 
adopting the American system. The big politician, 
althougli innocent of any and all systems of cavalry 
tactics, wanted to instruct them all. He could gallop 
a liorse or swing a sabre with any of them, and thought 
that all these new-fangled notions about cavalry could 
but result in confusing the ideas of the men, as they 
had his. The melancholy man in black did not agree 
with any of them. He had brought his huge sabre 
with him, and would show them what he could do with 
it after drill. He would drill in his own way, and it 
was not his fault if they did not understand it. Lieu- 
tenant Oo-le listened and looked on with silent con- 
tempt, while the dark-visaged little Major was willing 
to let them have it all their own way, and was so kindly 
disposed towards a neighboring bar, that he took occa- 
sion to pay his respects to it while others were disput- 
ing. The Balaclava man would obey orders, and 
drill according to the system we would be required to 
light under. He was a poor man, did not look for a 
commission, and expected pay for what he did, for he 
had a family with open mouths, and but little to put in 
them. It was a soldier's duty to serve his country, and 
he could do that best by obeying orders. This was said 
in rebuke of the big politician, who had evidently 
given what little power of study he possessed to the 
reo'ulations rather than to the tactics. He was one of 
those persons this war has produced too many of; who 



18 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

believe in first taking care of themselves, and doing as 
little as tliey can for the country afterward. He 
would make himself master of the regulations, for only 
by that could a man know exactly what he was to get 
for his services. What was the use of a man exposing 
his life, unless he knew what he was to get for it. 
There was no romance in being killed for thirteen 
dollars a month, rations thrown in. In this manner 
the big politician would have entertained us every 
night until midnight, throwing himself back on his 
dignity, and frisking his fingers through his bushy hair. 
As for Ogle, he was a man of great good sense, and 
blessed with an even temper. When, therefore, he had 
shown his contempt for these disputes and the igno- 
rance betrayed in them, he would sit quietly down to 
his pipe, write sonnets to his lady friends, of whom he 
had a number, or make merry over the names of those 
who presumed to know so much more about cavalry 
than he did. 



CHAPTER III. 



BAD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON. 

Our number had increased to about one hundred, of 
as good material as Avas ever got together. We had 
held our regular drills nightly, in the great hall, the 
outside grounds being occupied by Blenker, then organ- 
izing his 8th New York Volunteers, made up chiefly of 
Germans, who were making themselves happy over 
great heaps of bread and Bologna sausage. 

Just as we had assembled for drill one night, it was 
announced that Colonel Clarke had returned from 
Washington, and would report what he had and had 
not done. The Colonel soon niade his appearance in 
the body of the hall, and was received with three cheers. 
But it was not difficult to see by his manner, that what 
he had to say was not of an encouraging nature. 
Forming around him in a circle, he began by compli- 
menting us on the progress we had made, and then gave 
us a detailed account of his experience in Washington. 
He had been received cordially by the President, who 
admitted that there would be a necessity for cavalry 
during the war. But he expressed alarm, when told 
that as many as twelve or fourteen new regiments would 



20 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

be needed. The}^ might be needed, but he did not be- 
lieve the country would stand the expense. He was 
not skilled in the profession of arms, but he wanted to 
meet the expectations of the people, who would hold 
him responsible if he did not adopt the best and most 
efiicient means of putting down the rebellion. But he 
had intrusted the organization of the army to General 
Scott and his Secretary of War. Colonel Clarke then 
proceeded to the War Department and obtained, after 
some delay, an interview with Mr. Cameron, who was 
tlien, unfortunately for the country, the ruling spirit of 
that institution. Mr. Cameron was too much of a pol- 
itician to have any very deep sympathy or respect for 
a soldier educated to his profession. Indeed, so lively 
was his distrust of every officer who had been in the 
regular army, that he would, at times, treat with in- 
difference, and even discourtes}^, men whose services 
tlie country needed most. He was inclined, also, to 
underrate the merits of his own countrymen, and to 
give precedence to foreigners, who have since shown 
how little they were worth in this war. Mr. Cameron, 
as well as his successor, was unfortunate in falling into 
the popular error of his party that fighting battles and 
gaining victories was the business of politicians and 
reformers, and that if you gave a soldier an odd job 
now and then when his sword got rust}^ it was merely 
to liave him shovv^ liow far lie was behind the spirit of 
the times. All history teaches that the badly educated 
politician lives in continual fear of the overshadowing 
figure of the soldier. The good soldier m^ay be a very 
useful thing to have at hand when there is immediate 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 21 

danger, when liis firm nerve is necessary to the politi- 
cian's safety. But once the danger is over, the politi- 
cian will mount his feathers and seek for a closet 
where he can keep the soldier until it suits his conven- 
ience to give him another job. The man who has sought 
and gained political power over a road both crooked 
and muddy, who never had a conscience to accuse him 
when selling the souls of some men and buying the 
votes of others, is not the man to appreciate the spirit 
of chivalry which rules in the heart and controls the 
acts of every true soldier. His thoughts are fettered, 
and his actions narrowed by the very means he was 
forced to use to gain his position, which he holds with- 
out finding any real favor in the hearts of the people, 
such being secured only where there is true worth. So 
it was with Mr. Secretary Cameron. But I have made 
a diversion from my subject. 

The reception Colonel Clarke met from Mr. Secre- 
tary Cameron was not what he had a right to expect. 
He refused authority to raise the regiment, was unde- 
cided as to the necessity that would arise for cavalry ; 
had his prejudices, and so had General Scott. General 
Scott, he said, had no faith in volunteer cavalry ; it 
was a very expensive arm of the service ; it would open 
an immense field for fraud and corruption. Nor was 
he certain that in such a wild, rugged, and wooded 
country as we should have to advance through during 
the war, cavalry in large bodies could be used to ad- 
vantage. We could not always depend on the country 
we advanced into for forage, and the necessity of a 
supply large enough for the animals would so increase 



22 THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 

the trains as not only to impede the movements of the 
army, but to quadruple the cost of transportation, and 
render it extremely dangerous to advance far beyond 
its depots. General Scott was of opinion, also, that 
this war would have to be fought chiefly by riflemen 
and artillery, and Mr. Cameron shared his opinion. 
He advised keeping up the organization, but could give 
no encouragement as to whether the regiment would 
be accepted or not. Colonel Clarke was sorry he had 
nothing better to report. As the Government had no 
need of his services, there was nothing for him to do 
but retire into private life. He retired, wishing us 
every prosperity in our undertaking. This news fell 
heavy upon our feelings, and several were ready to 
give up the enterprise, and would have done so, but for 
the appeals of the more sanguine. We needed a 
leader to lean upon and respect, and Colonel Clarke 
was the man. There were young hearts, full of fire 
and spirit, such as Bailey and Hidden, engaged in our 
enterprise. But to make it successful we needed a di- 
recting head — a man of experience, indomitable energy, 
and a will to overcome such obstacles as the Govern- 
ment was sure to throw in our way. Colonel Clarke 
saw, also, that Mr. Cameron's thoughts and feelings 
were wedded to Pennsylvania. If the Government 
should need cavalry, he (Mr. Cameron) said, why go so 
far as New York for it, when there was Pennsylvania 
nearer. Mr. Cameron had not then (and I doubt if 
his successor has now) discovered that there is some 
difi'erence between the value to an army of a clever 
horse-thief and a skillful trooper. But if you compel 



THE STORY OF A TROOPEK. 23 

a man to practice law, wlio has been keeping a grocery- 
shop all his life, you must pay dearly for his blunders. 
No doubt Mr. Cameron was sincere when he fixed his 
mind on Pennsylvania as opening the best field for ex- 
pert troopers. Indeed, it must be borne in mind that 
the wants of the war had not then developed the fact 
that Mr. Cameron's favored State has sent more clever 
horse-thieves and less good troopers to the war than 
any other. 

Our drill masters put their squads through a series 
of evolutions, and when the evening's work was over, 
a few friends joined Colonel Clarke and retired to 
Bigsby's, where good cheer was to be had and the 
spirits of man so elevated as to forget his misfortunes. 
Among the number was the big politician, who spread 
over the Colonel and took him immediately under his 
protection. Before we had half finished our first 
punch, he began entertaining us with an account of 
himself. He was a man of fortune, he would have us 
all know, had filled various positions of high trust, could 
show how he had reflected honor on them all, and was 
making great sacrifices in joining the army once more. 
He was sure the Colonel, who he knew from the high 
reputation he bore, as a statesman as well as a soldier, 
had been badly treated. He (the big politician) would 
see justice done him, if it cost half his fortune and 
any amount of time. He had influence enough at 
Washington, and, what was more, knew how to use it. 
There was not a Senator who would not be delighted 
to serve him, and his word was enough to secure his 
friends the position they wanted. The Colonel had but 



24 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

to say tlie word, and lie would proceed to Washington 
(at Ills own expense, for lie was indebted to no man for 
a dollar,) and see that his new friend, whose acquaint- 
ance he had just had the honor to make, was not only- 
made a Colonel, but a General. He had the power 
and could do it. 

The Colonel listened quietly to what the speaker had 
to say, and, being a sensible gentleman, set his promises 
down to the strength of the cups he had just drained. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE OPPOSITION TO CAVALRY AND GENERAL SCOTT. 

It may not be out of place here to say a few words on 
a subject which has been brought before the public in 
various ways, and is of vital importance to the army and 
the nation. The charge of opposition to the use of cav- 
alry when the war began, has been several times brought 
against General Scott. And the continued demand for 
more mounted troops that has been made by the press, 
in many cases prompted by interested persons, has been 
used to show that his opinions respecting the usefulness 
of a large cavalry force, were wrong. I have good rea- 
sons for saying that General Scott's opinions on this sub- 
ject, when the war began, and at the present time, are very 
imperfectly understood outside of the War Department. 
I have reason to believe, also, that General Scott's name 
was improperly used, in connection with this subject, 
by the then Secretary of War, to cover his own short- 
sightedness. The politician's military liorizon was at 
that time very contracted and indistinct. General Scott 
rose above it, and saw over it. If his advice had been 
properly acted on, and his plans not interfered with 
2 



26 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and opposed by presumptuous men, the country would 
have been saved not only much blood and treasure, but 
manv a diso^raceful defeat at the hands of an inferior 
enemy. On the question of cavalry, General Scott 
was too good a soldier and too far-sighted a man, not 
to foresee that in advancin,!? through a country possess- 
ing the peculiar features of Virginia and Tennessee, 
cavalry, or in other words, mounted troops, would be 
needed in various v/ays. To make quick movements, 
to take and hold the gaps of mountains before the 
enemy could reach them, was the business of cavalry. 
To act as videttes, to scout, to reconnoitre, to feel the 
enemy's positions, to make diversions and raids, to 
operate on flanks and harass the enemy's rear when in 
retreat, were duties expected of cavalry. To do escort 
duty, and protect supply and other trains tlirough a 
country where the rear of an advancing army was con- 
tinually exposed to the operations of guerrillas and 
small bands of the enemy, cavalry was indispensable 
But General Scott knew that to perform these services 
well and effectively, the cavalry would require to be 
well organized, well officered, and thoroughly drilled. 
He knew that without these, cavalry, or what is called 
cavalry, must sooner or later become nothing more than 
a teri'ible drain on the nation's resources, and a per- 
plexing incumbrance ta its armies. The duties per- 
formed by cavalry were more hazardous and laborious 
than those expected of infantry or artillery. It should 
be, and was, in European countries, regarded as a supe- 
rior arm of the service, better paid and better equipped. 
Its officers and men should possess a higher standard 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 27 

of nerve and intelligence than either the infantry or 
artillery, to make it worthy of its name. And, too, a 
trooper without natural love for his horse, and a proper 
desire to see that he was well cared for, would be little 
more than an animal killer — a sorry expense to any 
government. 

General Scott knew also wliat was the character of 
our people for rushing from one extreme to another, 
and that the influence of this great error in our national 
character, was soon to make itself felt dangerously on 
the Government. No man knew better than he did 
the true value to the nation of a well organized force 
of any kind. What he feared was the confusion and 
corruption which must result from every politician of 
influence having a military plan of his own, and impa- 
tient to force that plan on the Government. Nor did 
he fail to foresee that a Secretary of War, whose busi- 
ness it had been to practice law in a country village, 
who was indeed innocent of any military experience, 
must fall into the errors of such military men as he 
was likely to call in as private instructors, and that 
the result of this would be a conflict of authority dis- 
astrous to the nation's best interests. 

If, then. General Scott had prejudices on the subject 
of cavalry when the war began, they were directed 
aorainst the abuses to which it would be liable, not the 
uses to which it might be put. And if the experience of 
two years has taught us anything in the art of war, it 
has also taught us that General Scott was as correct 
in his opinions respecting cavalry, as he was in the 
number of men it would require to carry on the war 



28 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

successfully, and make it of short duration. In no 
otlier branch of the service has there been so much 
fraud, so much corruption, so much utter worthlessness. 
Colonels^ commissions were given, and men authorized 
to raise regiments of cavalry who had never mounted 
a horse ; who were physically, as well as mentally, 
unfit to be soldiers. The conduct of a colonel stamps 
itself on the character of a regiment, especially the offi- 
cers. And you cannot have good men, unless a colonel 
shows by his own character that he is fit to prop- 
erly shape their conduct while in an enemy's country. 
The Government made cavalry colonels of some men 
who were as unfit to be at the head of a regiment as 
a gambler would be to preside over a prayer meeting. 
Such a position should be, and used to be, the reward 
of merit, for it is one of great importance in our army. 
The events of the war have shown that too many of 
these positions were bestowed on political favorites. 

Without experience, no heart in the war, or a thought 
above what could be made out of the positions thus 
improperly bestowed upon them, it is safe to say that 
these men have not only been a great drawback, but 
brought disgrace upon the service. Officers of the 
regular cavalry were educated and honorable gentle- 
men ; but the spirit that ruled among them does not 
seem to have descended to the volunteer. The Gov- 
ernment is to blame for this, since the remedy is in its 
own hands, but it fails to apply it. Once armed with 
authority to raise a regiment, these men go to work 
picking up whatever sort of material they can find, 
regardless of its fitness or anything else but numbers. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 29 

Numbers are wliat tliey want, and wlicn tliey get their 
regiment full, probably not more than one hundred and 
fifty or two Imndred of its men are fit for or will ever 
make respectable troopers. This is particularly the case 
with some of the last regiments raised in Pennsylvania 
and New York. No one can have been with our cavalry 
long, and observed carefully the material of which these 
regiments are made up, without being struck with their 
great inferiority, mentally and physically, when com- 
pared with either the infantry or artillery. Strange, 
and almost unaccountable as it may seem, I have no- 
ticed that an incompetent colonel was sure to want his 
regiment officered by men who knew no more than he 
did. This invariably resulted in exhausting quarrels 
between him and his officers, and such quarrels have a 
very damaging etfect on the discipline of the men. I 
have known regiments of cavalry to lay for a year use- 
less in the outskirts of Washington, the officers spending 
most of their time in the city or, for want of something 
better to do, quarrelling among themselves, the men 
demoralized with dissipation, and finally the regiment, 
which had cost the Government so much to organize 
and support, dwindle away, until the amount paid to 
officers became greater than that paid to the men. It 
used to be the fashion for officers who wanted to get 
rid of an incompetent and useless colonel or major, 
to join in signing a petition asking the President to 
make him a brigadier general. But even that clever 
expedient seems to have lost its virtue, since Mr. Lin- 
coln has not been taken in by it for some time past. I 
have known not less than a dozen colonels of cavalry, 



30 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

loitering about the streets and hotels of Washington 
for weeks and months, not one of whom gave the slight- 
est thought to his men ; and all drawing pay for ser- 
vices they were incompetent to perform. It is not 
difficult to understand what sort of discipline must rule 
in a regiment commanded by one of these men, and 
how little use it must be to the service. 

It is not at all times pleasant to tell the truth ; but 
the sooner it is told of this arm of the service, the 
better for the nation. We have now upwards of two 
hundred and twenty regiments of cavalry in the ser- 
vice of the United States. These are exclusive of a 
few independent companies. Many of these regiments 
are very much reduced in men ; some of them not mus- 
tering for duty more than enough to make three full 
companies. And yet many of these mere skeleton regi- 
ments are still attended with a full complement of 
officers, all drawing full pay, while other expenses are 
going on in little less ratio than when the regiment 
was full. Some of these regiments have been left to the 
command of captains, while their incompetent colonels 
and majors were content to play ornament on the 
staff of some friendly General. Now, when it is con- 
sidered that to organize, mount, equip, and put a cavalry 
regiment into the field, it costs the nation between five 
and six hundred thousaiid dollars, and between two 
hundred and fifty and three hundred thousand for every 
succeeding year it is kept in the service, the enormous 
cost of this branch of the service can be estimated at 
a glance. Nor can the necessity of keeping so costly 
an arm of the service properly officered and actively 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 31 

employed, be urged too strongly on tlie Government. 
The politician tells us every day that it is not wise to 
study economy while the very existence of the nation 
is threatened- But a nation with so strong a founda- 
tion as ours has got in the patriotism of the people, 
wall find better protection and a safer refuge for its 
honor in the hands of those who study economy and 
know how to properly apply it for the benefit of all, and 
at all times. Economy has no virtues during peace that 
cannot be applied in war. And every good man whose 
voice and acts form the administrative power of a na- 
tion should exert himself in its influence. 

It might be asked what really the cavalry had done 
for which it could claim credit corresponding to its 
numbers and cost to the nation. Grierson, Straight, 
Pleasanton, and a few others, have given some proof of 
what might be done with a properly organized and 
officered force of cavalry. But the west has been 
more fortunate than the east, as well in the service per- 
formed by its cavalry, as tlie skill and dash of the offi- 
cers who commanded it. Tliere is, indeed, as much 
difference between the cavalry in these two sections of 
the country, as there is between the 8th Illinois and 
the 8th Pennsylvania regiments, a comparison every 
officer that knows anything of the cavalry attached to 
the army of the Potomac will understand. In order to 
be concise, I will limit what I have to say on this sub- 
ject to what our cavalry has done in Virginia. 

On several occasions I could name, the country has 
been sent into a fit of joy by the newspapers giving 
glowing accounts of some remarkable raid our cavalry 



32 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

had made into the enemy's country. Even tlie picture 
papers, not to be wanting in enterprise, liave aston- 
ished the younger members of our family with savage 
looking troopers, mounted on fierce war studs, dashing 
at terrible speed at the head of malicious columns into 
the enemy's country. But when we sift these glowing 
accounts down, and get at the real truth, we find it 
an afi'air so tame as to reflect but little credit on us. 
McClellan had but little confidence in our volunteer 
cavalry, and rarely used it. In the winter of 1861-62, 
he was afraid to send it out, knowing that if he did, it 
would be " gobbled up" by the enemy. On several oc- 
casions on the Peninsula, it was the means of throwing 
the infantry into confusion, and doing serious liarm. 

The officer whose name has been most prominently 
before the public in connection with cavalry movements 
in Virginia, is General Stoneman. But the most ardent 
admirers of that gallant officer find tlieir energies 
taxed when invited to show the fruit of his labor. Few 
will contend that he improved its organization during 
the winter of 1861-2. He commanded a " flying col- 
umn" up the Peninsula during the campaign under 
McClellan. Will any one tell me what he did from 
the day he left Williamsburg until he reached Mechan- 
icsville on the Chickaliominy, beyond keeping a re- 
spectful distance between his own front and the enemy's 
rear? He certainly did not hurry the movements of 
Johnson, who retreated up without leaving a sick sol- 
dier or a broken wagon behind. When Jeb Stuart 
made his celebrated raid round our array at Cold Har- 
bor, and destroyed our trains at Tunstill's Station, Gen- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 33 

eral Stonemanwas quietly resting near Meadow Bridge. 
It is true we sent Phillip St. George Cook in pursuit of 
his bold son-in-law. But that distinguished officer was 
careful to sail on the same circle, and in tliat way gave 
his son-in-law the advantage of a respectable start. In 
truth, it would not do to attempt to cut off so bold a 
trooper as Stuart, and Phillip St. George had a very 
natural and, perhaps, commendable aversion to being 
captured by his own son-in-law, and he a rebel. What 
the cavalry did during the seven days' battles before 
Richmond, is too well known to the country to need a 
word from me. In many instances it was in inextri- 
cable confusion, and retarded, rather than assisted our 
movements. Colonel Averill succeeded General Stone- 
man, and received the appointment of Brigadier Gen- 
eral. As colonel of the 3d Pennsylvania volunteers, 
this officer won great credit for the spirit and discipline 
he infused into that regiment. But at the head of the 
cavalry force he seems to have lost his capacity to 
successfully command. His subordinate commanders 
never had confidence in his ability to handle a large 
force, and the fights he was engaged in never resulted 
in anything substantial. 

When the truth comes to be told, and the true his- 
tory written of these cavalry fights along the fords of 
the Rappahannock and Rapidan, and of which so much 
has been claimed by the press, the real results will show 
but little to our credit. The luckless Pope, in his 
memorable advance backwards on Washington, his le- 
gions as disordered as his own mind was bewildered, 
took the opportunity to tell some severe truths of his 
2* 



34 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

cavalry. Soinc of it ran his infantry down in its haste 
to be first into Alexandria. Had that unfortunate 
General confined his strictures to his worthless troopers, 
the country would to-day have shared its sympathy 
with him, and he would, indeed, stand better before it. 
It is now December, 1863, and the question may be 
asked — what is tlie condition of our cavalry in Virginia 
to-day ? What benefit are we deriving from it in com- 
parison to the enormous drain it is making upon the 
Treasury ? General Stoneman, with the rank, pay, 
and emoluments of a Major General, has retired from 
active duty in the field, and presides over a cumbrous 
and costly " Cavalry Bureau '^ at Washington, estab- 
lished without authority of law, a thing unknown 
among the acts of Congress, an expensive fancy of that 
child of magnificent fancies — the present Secretary of 
War. The duties of this bureau are such as might be 
performed by any capable captain or lieutenant. Gen- 
eral Stoneman being a Major General, must have things 
conforming to his dignity, and hence must have a staff, 
though the nation suffer. There is attached to this 
" Cavalry Bureau," an expensive camp, for receiving 
and remounting dismounted troopers. It is noticed 
that since the organization of this camp, the number of 
dismounted cavalry men has alarmingly increased. The 
utility of this camp, as well as the influence it has on 
the service, has been questioned by some of our most 
experienced cavalry officers. Many of them regard it 
as nothing less than a premium held out to worthless 
troopers to break down their horses and get away from 
service and into Washington. It is very well known, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 35 

too, that regiments and parts of regiments sent into 
this camp to be remounted and re-equipped have, after 
long delay, returned to the field scarcely improved in 
their condition. Whether this expensive bureau and 
extensive camp will work any improvement in the effi- 
ciency of our cavalry, remains to be seen. 

General Pleasanton, who really did some good fight- 
ing with his cavalry, and has some claim on the gratitude 
of the people, has to-day nothing more than a nominal 
command in the field. He is powerless even to organ- 
ize and give proper rank to his own staff. He knows 
what cavalry ought to be, and feels that he could im- 
prove its condition, if the Government would but give 
him the power to act. But when politicians control, 
he finds it impossible to be anything more than their 
instrument. Disgusted at the position he holds and 
does not hold ; disheartened at the condition of the 
force nominally under his command, we have almost 
ceased to hear of his name. Gregg, Buford, Custer, 
and Kilpatrick, officers who have shown what they 
could do with cavalry if they had the power to perform, 
are so chained down by orders, that their dash and 
bravery is lost to the nation. We have now some 
thirt3^-five regiments and parts of regiments attached 
to the army of the Potomac. The country may natu- 
rally ask how it is that with so large and expensive a 
force, Moseby, with a mere troop cuts in and out 
through our lines, whenever and wherever he pleases, 
destroys trains and Government property in our rear, 
and carries off his plunder and prisoners unmolested? 
What are our thirty-five regiments of cavalry doing 



86 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

while Moseby and his troop play such pranks in our 
rear ? Our Generals know the map of his operations. 
That they do not entrap him argues something wrong, 
and the common sense of the country knows where to 
fix it. 

If we turn to the valley of the Shenandoah, so fruit- 
ful of disgraces to our arms from the beginning of the 
war up to the present time, and all for want of proper 
generalship, the condition of our cavalry will be found 
most deplorable. In an angle formed by Harper's 
Ferry, Martinsburg, and Winchester, there are some 
nine regiments of cavalry, or rather what are called 
cavalry, most of them wasting away in useless inactiv- 
ity. The cowardly part performed by some of these 
regiments (especially those from Pennsylvania,) in run- 
ning away from the enemy, is too well known to the 
country. The officers seem to have no confidence in 
their men ; the men no confidence in their officers. It 
has been a question with many which was the worst 
cowards. To send them out on an expedition was to 
see them scamper back at the very shadow of Imboden, 
in disgraceful disorder. Their condition has been 
little better than that of a confused mob, made more 
useless by being mounted. Nor has the discipline and 
efficiency of some of these regiments improved in the 
slightest, though they have been nearly two years in 
the service. This would not be so if the Government 
did its duty and saw that these worthless officers were 
removed, and proper ones put in their places. Now it 
is well known that these nine regiments of cavalry, 
with their immense expense to the country, are kept at 



THE STOPvY OF A TROOPER. 37 

])ay by the mere shadow of Iinboden and his iiicii. Any 
one who knows anything of Iinboden and his followers 
can attest to their being made up of the most cowardly 
and characterless vagabonds the confederates have sent 
out to disgrace a country and damage a cause. They 
have always been ready to run at any show of courage, 
and have never dared to meet the first New York cav- 
alry in a fair fight. In truth, too, it is not adding much 
to our credit to say that Imboden and his men might 
have been captured or driven beyond hearing long 
since, but for the unwillingness of our Generals to 
give the order. At one time Imboden and his com- 
mand, with its train, was within the very grasp of the 
first New York cavalry, the men of which were impa- 
tient to make the charge and capture it, as seen quietly 
moving away before their eyes. But the General in 
command, an eye-witness to the prize it required only 
an effort to secure, thought the risk too great to assume 
the responsibility without orders from Washington. 
He withdrew his forces and left Imboden to seek a 
peaceful asylum in the mountains. I have more than 
once suspected our generals commanding in the valley 
of having a peculiar love for Imboden and his followers, 
whose shadows served them to prolong the pleasures 
and pay incident to high command. 

To say our cavalry was never in a worse condition, 
more disorganized and helpless than it is now, is only 
saying what is known in the army to be the truth. Is 
it not then the very extreme of folly to put the country 
to the expense of raising new regiments that can be of 
no earthly use to the service for at least a year, when 



38 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

we have so many in the field that should be at once 
dismounted and made to perform duty as infantry ? 
What we need is a reorganization and consolidation of 
the regiments already in the field. Permanent com- 
mand should be given to some olG&cer of known ability, 
with power to purge the service of its worthless officers 
and men, as well as to hold every colonel to a strict re- 
sponsibility for the discipline and efficiency of his regi- 
ment. Military men well know that one regiment of 
good cavalry, well officered and well handled, will do 
more actual service than ten poor ones. And this is 
what Congress should understand, and act upon, for the 
bene at of the country as well as the honor of the ser- 
vice. 



C n A P T E II Y. 



DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME. 

Early May had passed, the nation's hopes and fears 
had been relieved somewhat by the prompt action of 
the people, and the middle of the month was come. 
And yet we had received no encouragement from Wash- 
ington. The Government was still undecided as to 
whether cavalry would be needed in this war, and Mr. 
Cameron, without any convictions of liis own on the 
subject, had enough to do assigning sutlerships and giv- 
ing places of high trust to his small political friends. 
We had worked manfully to keep the organization to- 
gether, but this repeated indifference to our claims at 
Washington brought a feeling of discouragement on us 
all. We were without a recognized head ; and how to 
raise funds to relieve our fast increasing necessities was 
a question that began to tax all the ingenuity we pos- 
sessed. Begging was in fashion just then, and men 
(Germans especially) in all sorts of uniforms, were go- 
ing from door to door soliciting of generous citizens 
money to aid in raising some real or imaginary regi- 
ment. This business was carried to such an extreme 



40 THE STORY OF A TEOOPEK. 

that it assumed a degrading cliaracter, and those en- 
gaged in it were not the men to make good soldiers. 
Large sums of money were collected in this manner. 
And it is safe to say that a large portion of it went into 
the pockets of worthless officers, and was never ac- 
counted for to tlie men for whom the donors intended it. 
We were not inclined to adopt this rule, so generally 
in practice, of raising the ways and means ; first, be- 
cause, with the single exception of the big politician, 
we were none of us skilled in the art of begging ; and 
second, to be dependent on charity for the means of 
raising a regiment the Government must ultimately need, 
seemed mean and despicable. The Union Defense Com- 
mittee was just then in the height of its power, and 
had taken a new saint into its circle. This new saint 
was no less a person than Fernando Wood, who had 
promised to be as gooda Christian as any of them, and 
never again to play the political or any other kind of 
a sinner. He was now distributing the gentle influ- 
ences of his love and patriotism over the whole com- 
mittee, upon whose generosity he had made so deep an 
impression as to secure a vote granting him sixty-seven 
thousand dollars, or thereabouts, " to assist " in raising 
the Mozart regiment. Tammany had raised a regi- 
ment ; why should not Mozart display its patriotism 
in a similar manner ? And then the famous Union 
Saving Committee, which really did much good, and, 
with a little practical knowledge of military matters, 
might have done much more, had a strange partiality 
for giving money with a lavish hand to regiments 
raised through political influences. It had no money 



THE STORY or A TROOPER. 41 

to give US just tlicn. Wo were not up to the political 
standard received by tlie committee. Mr. Wood had 
promised henceforth to walk according to the new creed 
provided for all good men and patriots. It would 
indeed be withholding justice from this highly honora- 
ble gentleman and straightforward politician, not to 
say that he conducted himself as a truly good Christian 
should, during his probation at the board. If he did 
not return to his seat after he had secured the object of 
his heart's desire, it was not because he had failed to 
impress the more pious members of the committee with 
the great depth and value of his patriotism. 

It has been charged, and very unjustly I think, that 
Mr. Wood had selfish motives in thus setting up for a 
political saint ; that his regiment was raised, not so 
much to put down the rebellion, as to keep life in a 
political enterprise he had invested capital in and was 
afraid would bo swept into the dead sea of the past. 
But it must be remembered tliat all gre;it and good 
men have, in all ages, been charged with selfishness, 
and I see no good reason why Mr. Wood should not be 
added to the long list of worthy persons who have been 
martyrs to their honest intentions, rather than heroes 
to their ambition. I knew something of this Mozart 
regiment when it was on the Peninsula, where it did 
some good service. Strange to say, the officers all 
seemed to repudiate their great benefactor, against 
whom several of them pronounced maledictions I would 
protest against their writing on my tombstone. Tliis 
I charged to the ingratitude common among mankind, 
and not to any want of integrity shown by Mr. Wood 



42 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

when lie squared his account current with the regiment. 
But as Mr. Wood will not thank me for writing either 
his political or military history, and fearing my labor 
of love may be lost on the reader, I will return to the 
Union Defense Committee. 

I have said we got no money of this committee. We 
did. After several applications to other members, 
General Dix generously came forward in our behalf, 
and procured for us the sum of five hundred dollars. 
Small as this sum was, considering the magnitude of 
our enterprise, and the obligations we had already in- 
curred, it came like a fresh gleam of sunlight through 
dark and discouraging clouds, cheering our spirits and 
giving new life to our energies. The committee had, 
perhaps, good reasons for not giving us more. Some 
of its members told us what had become a stale story. 
It was not certain that cavalry would be called for. 
The authorities at Washington had advised raising in- 
fantry and artillery for immediate use. And cavalry 
regiments were so expensive, volunteer cavalry could 
not be depended on, and the country we had to operate 
in was not suited to the maneuvering of mounted 
troops. Such were the objections we had to overcome 
and work against. 

But we had lost O'Mara, one of our best spirits. 
Frank, outspoken, manly in his every act, and with as 
true a heart as ever beat in a brave Irishman, he had 
served his country faithfully in the field when his su- 
periors had turned traitors. Like a good patriot, he 
was again impatient to show his strength in doing 
battle for her cause. He had given us his services 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 43 

^^illiiigly, and without remuneration, and liis prompt, 
soldier-like bearing had endeared him to us all. Being 
doubtful of our success, he was offered and accepted a 
commission in the Tammany regiment, witli which, as 
I have said before, he distinguished himself for great 
coolness and bravery.* 

Our group of leading spirits, as assembled of a morn- 
ing in the little office at Palace Garden, to talk over 
the affairs of the nation and our own troubles, would 
have formed a fine subject for the pencil of Eastman 
Johnson. There was the meditative Stearns, his bright 
bald head, and his kindly face — never out of temper, 
and ready to accept disappointment without a sigh — 
to look at the bright side of everything, and never 
say give up while there was a hope. Harkins, who had 
played on many a stage, was ready now to entertain us 
with his amusing stories, his quaint humor, and his in- 
spiriting laugh. Active and impulsive, he would make 
various incursions into Jersey, recount the wonderful 
progress our regiment was making to his friends there, 
and come away with a number of their names on his 
roll. And these pleasant adventures after recruits he 
would recount to us in the morning, in his amusing 
style. There, too, was Bailey, whom we had all come 
to love, for his cool nonchalence, his activity, and his 
genial qualities, and his readiness to invite us all to 
the Woodbine, over the way, where he would spend liis 
last dollar for what is known among soldiers as " broth- 
erly love," to keep the spirits up. And there was 

•5^ He afterwards commanded a western regiment, and fell like a 
hero, leading it on at the battle of Chattanooga. 



44 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Leavett, (the indomitable Tom,) never behind any man 
when there was work to be done. Tlie handsome 
Harry Hidden, restless, impatient to get to the field, 
so prim in his attire, his black, piercing eyes warm with 
intelligence, and a curl of manly contempt on his lips 
for those who were desponding and ready to give up 
tlie enterprise in despair. Fancy this group forming a 
half circle, with the soldierly Ogle (well known in the 
regular army) for a central figure, and you have one of 
as companionable and genial spirits as ever sat together 
discoursing their future prospects in the field. Nor 
must I forget to mention a group that usually assem- 
bled outside and held their deliberations on the pave- 
ment. This was composed of the big politician, whom 
the wits inside had begun to use as a fit subject for 
their jokes, and whose wonderful stories of liimself had 
ceased to have efi'ect, except on the mind of some new 
recruit. The melancholy man in black, who liad taught 
cavalry tactics over the border, and was always in a 
desponding mood, was sure we never could raise the 
regiment, solely because we did not follow his advice. 
Between the big politician and the melancholy man 
there sprang up a fellow feeling which it was difiicult 
either to understand or appreciate, since they were ap- 
posites mentally and physically. The one had a big 
sabre, and wore long, square-toed boots ; the other had 
been a hero in the Mexican war. The little, dark vis- 
aged Major of Venezuelian fame, fraternized with this 
outside group, and indeed gave light and shade, if not 
picturesqueness to it. He was ready always to join 
the big politician over his cups ; but would never agree 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 45 

witli him on a question of arms. And he would dis- 
pute for an hour with tlie melancholy man over horse- 
flesh, and his skill in the use of the sabre. I noticed 
that all three of these distinguished officers were much 
more inclined to waste time in disputes on their own 
skill than to engage in the more urgent business of 
bringing in recruits. The best recruiting officers were 
those who were freest from self-laudation. 

Hidden would attend of a morning to the recruits, 
inspire them with confidence as to our success, and 
whisper such words of encouragement in their ears as 
would make them feel impatient to be in the field. If 
the recruit were an old soldier, he was sure to want a 
dollar or two. He must drink our health ; he must 
have success to the,regiment in a square drink or two 
with a comrade who had served with him during some 
war in Europe. If there were a few shillings left, he 
would use it in first wetting the comrade's eye, and 
then fastening him on the rolls. In this way the " old 
soldiers" would frequently empty Harry's pockets, for 
he had a kind heart and could not resist the appeal of 
a soldier. It must be remembered, also, that at that 
day men were not bought to serve their country with 
corrupting bounties. 

The question of how to get a colonel to act with us 
either temporarily or permanently, was now troubling 
us more than any other. Bailey had been up to West 
Point to see Bayard, then our instructor at the acad- 
emy. Bayard was eager to get into the field, but could 
not then get the necessary leave of absence from the 
regular army to enable him to join the volunteers. Our 



46 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

effort did not succeed. The big politician offered to 
spend half liis immense fortune to get us the right sort 
of a colonel, or, to accommodate matters, he would 
take the position himself. But this kind offer was 
unanimously objected to. In truth, instead of the big 
politician showing us the color of his wealth, no sooner 
had we got possession of the fund appropriated by the 
Union Defense Committee, than he began to have seri- 
ous designs upon it. There was this must be done, and 
it would take at least fifty dollars to do it. There was 
that must be done, or we could never get on ; and it 
would require sixty dollars to do it. One hundred 
and fifty would be required to do something else 
equally important. I noticed that the politician had a 
queer way of accounting for these sums which he gen- 
erally got, and that was by assuring us upon his honor 
that they had been properly expended. 

Major Merrill, formerly of the regular cavalry, was 
in the successful practice of law in Wall street. He 
was an officer of good reputation, had seen considerable 
service, and, we had been told, was anxious to again 
give his services to his country. A deputation was at 
once organized to wait upon him and tender him the 
command of the regiment. He received the deputation 
kindly, offered to render us any service within his 
power ; but, to our disappointment and chagrin, pro- 
duced proof that he had already offered his services to 
the Government, in her hour of trial, and requested 
authority to raise a regiment of cavalry. His offer 
had been declined, peremptorily, by Mr. Cameron. 
He did not know why. It might be because he had 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 47 

some experience, and knew something of cayalry, -vThich 
the Secretary of War regarded as dangerons to the 
rule he had set up for the army about to be organized. 
He, howeyer, offered to serve us to the extent of his 
power, joined us, gave us his advice, presided over our 
deliberations during evenings, and assisted us to make 
a temporary organization. 

And now the time had come to make a temporary 
organization and elect officers to serve nominally. 
There was a great stir at headquarters one night, and 
all those ambitious to serve their country as captains 
and lieutenants of cavalry, were hard at work solicit- 
ing influence and votes. Foremost among the most 
active workers was the big politician, who was an 
adept at wire-pulling, and had fixed his very soul on 
the quartermastership, a position then considered to be 
worth an immense prospective fortune to any man with 
limited scruples as to what the Government lost and 
a private gentleman made. But as this appointment 
was within the gift of the colonel, after the regiment 
should be permanently organized, and not to be voted 
for at this time, the politician resolved to be content 
for the present with the captaincy of company A. 
When drill was over " the men," or rather those who 
were considered the rank and file, went to their homes ; 
while those who considered themselves the flower of 
the organization proceeded up into the gallery, and 
seated themselves at a long table, Major Merrill taking 
the head. The major, before proceeding to the busi- 
ness which he had been called to preside over, made us 
a neat little speech, full of good advice and sound com- 



48 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

moil sense. He also expressed his surprise that while 
tlie rebels were moving to action as if touched by one 
spring, our Government should evince a disposition to 
throw obstacles in the way of men whose energy and 
patriotism were producing Avhat it would most need. 
Nor could he understand why the War Department 
should be so averse to men who had seen service in the 
regular army. Three cheers were given for tlie major, 
and we went into the business of voting. The big pol- 
itician, to his own surprise, was declared elected cap- 
tain of company A. Rising with great gravity of 
manner, he began frisking his fingers through his bushy 
hair and pondering over his sentences, for it would not 
do to be thus honored without returning tlianks for it. 
The speaker, after hesitating for some time, and acting 
as if his mind were in pursuit of thoughts, wliich af- 
forded Harkins an excellent opportunity for a display 
of wit, began by saying he had made speeches enough 
but was never good at the beginning. His language 
was evidently refractory, for his words would insist on 
coming out backwards, and sticking half way at that. 
What he intended to say, but did not, was that such a 
distinguished honor was intended, he feared, for some 
one else. He had never sought positions of high trust, 
and if he accepted them it was only because he was 
conscious of having ability enough to fill them satis- 
factorily. A man must not be a martyr to his modesty 
when his country was in danger ; and if he had not 
already, he would in good time, prove to us tliat patri- 
otism alone found him in our ranks. Harkins, Stearns, 
Battcrsbv, and the little dark-visaged major were also 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 49 

elected captains. Others were content to be first lieu- 
tenants, and some went away disappointed. However, 
we were organized into working parties, and that was 
sonietliing. When the evening's work was over we 
retired to the Woodbine over the way, and joined hands 
over a social glass. 



CHAPTER YI. 



PllESSING NECESSITIES. 

The middle of May and still working witliont au- 
thority. McDowell was in command of the troops 
aronnd Washington, and the country was hnng in sus- 
pense with daily rumors of terrible things tliQ rebels 
were doing out west and among the mountains of Vir- 
ginia. Regiments of volunteers were being quickly 
formed in New York and sent to aid the Goyernment. 
At that time true patriotism was aroused, and wives 
parted freely with husbands who went to the war, and 
sisters rebuked brothers inclined to stay at home. It was 
popular to be a soldier then ; even a poetic inspiration 
seemed to have seized on the people, and the man had 
some courage who dared stem the rush to arms. These 
things, however, did but increase our anxieties and 
heighten the gloom that hung over our prospects. Otlier 
regiments were fitting up and going off. We could 
not get ours accepted. Our expenses for rent had in- 
creased alarmingly ; and our kind and forbearing land- 
lord needed what we had not got in the exchequer to 
give him. The man who had printed the big, flaming 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 51 

posters, with the fierce looking trooper at a charge, 
would look in to say he wanted a trifle, if it would not 
inconvenience us. The gray-bearded man, who liad an 
advertising bill, and wanted to join us because he hated 
the south and her " niggers," assured us his employers 
needed money or he would not have troubled us. Rent 
for recruiting stations outside was accumulating, and 
the genius of Bailey was sorely taxed for assurances 
that they (the importuning landlords) would be paid 
at a future day. To have no money, and yet be able to 
send a creditor away encouraged, is a merit not pos- 
sessed by every gentleman. The poor recruits, too, had 
mouths and needed something to put in them. They 
perhaps had little children looking to them for bread. 
Recruiting officers had to be sent into the country to 
stir up the patriotism of the people, and bring in the 
ambitious youth impatient to swing a sabre. Money 
must be provided for their transportation and other 
expenses. We needed five thousand where we Imd only 
five hundred dollars. It was not pleasant to give our 
time and be compelled to run in debt to serve the Gov- 
ernment. 

Tiien we Lad to stop our drills of an evening. Blen- 
ker's regiment of Teutons had spread over the large 
hall, piled its sides Avith their blankets and mattresses, 
and stacked arms in its centre. They used it for a camp 
at night and a banqueting hall by day, with Bologna 
sausage and foaming lager for the feast. Germany was 
just at that time in high feather ; in high feather with 
the authorities at Washington ; in high feather with 
our politicians ; in high feather with themselves as 



52 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

soldiers superior to all others. Tlic Government was 
inclined to give Germany all she demanded ; and there 
was little connected with the army that she did not de- 
mand. Of course we yielded to Germany ; and taking 
our departure from Palace Garden, located next at 
Independence Hall, a narrow little loft over a livery 
stable on Seventh avenue. Things did not prosper 
well with us here, recruits began to get dissatisfied and 
to drop off, and there was a fair prospect that we would 
have to give up the enterprise and ask our creditors to 
forgive us our sins. It was, however, proposed to send 
another delegation to Washington to get authority for 
Major Merrill to raise the regiinent and take command. 
It was thought that the little dark-visaged major, who 
assured us he had an intimate acquaintance with all 
the high military dignitaries at the capital, might work 
a favorable result with Mr. Cameron. He did indeed 
seem the sort of man Mr. Cameron had a weakness 
for. If, too, the major failed to make an impression 
by his wonderful stories of what he had done in war, 
he was sure to effect his purpose with a few exhibi- 
tions of what he could do with the sabre. 

Well, the major and myself were chosen a delegation 
of two, and started for Washington of a Saturday af- 
ternoon. It was evident, however, that the major re- 
garded the expedition as an affair of pleasure, and was 
inclined to make the most of it. We had not gone far 
when he wanted to see a friend, and left the train for 
the night. On the following day, (Sunday) the major 
joined me at tlie Continental Hotel, in a most happy 
state of mind. He had on a cavalry jacket, was armed 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 53 

with a sabre, and had been enjoying his cups with a few 
friends of a military turn, whom he had chanced to meet 
on the road. The wonders of Philadelphia must be 
seen before the major could think of proceeding to 
Washington to do business witli high military authori- 
ties. There was Fairmount, and other attractive loca- 
tions to be seen, and the major rolled away in his car- 
riage to astonish people not in uniform. It was late in 
the evening when he returned, feeling very happy, and 
without a care as to how the war went. We started for 
Perry ville in the eleven o'clock train, the major armed 
with a big black bottle, the contents of which we would 
need, he said, for the night was wet and stormy. But 
he soon went into a deep sleep, from which he did not 
wake until we reached Perryville, then a place of some 
military importance. The road from Havre-de-Grace to 
Baltimore was destroyed, and some parts of Maryland 
were in a belligerent state. On alighting from the cars 
we were brought to ahaltby the guard, two sturdy Ger- 
mans, neither of whom could speak a word of English, 
or were inclined to be on very social terms with any of 
us. Indeed, they several times made feints to charge 
into our solid column, bringing the points of their 
bayonets into an uncomfortable proximity to our noses. 
At this halt we were kept for more than ten minutes, 
the rain pouring down, and sergeant of the guard No. 
2, Avho was called for about every two minutes, seeming 
resolved not to be disturbed from his sound sleep. Not 
a few imprecations were bestowed upon the head of 
sergeant of the guard No. 2, when he made his ap- 
pearance ; and a few were heard to very emphatically 



54 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

condemn the folly of any military order that went to 
restrict the progress of an American citizen. 

Sergeant of the guard No. 2 gave the order to pass 
on. The German sentinels shouldered arms and re- 
sumed their pacing, and the throng of passengers 
rushed down the long and rickety wharf, lumbered 
with all sorts of boxes and bales, and on board a small, 
cranky steamboat that was to convey us down the Sus- 
quehanna to Annapolis. It would be difficult to 
imagine anything more disagreeable than this passage. 
The little boat was piled beyond her capacity with 
freight, and swarmed with a suspicious-looking class of 
passengers, a majority of whom had the seal of Israel 
on their faces, and were bound to the promised land 
just being opened for tliem by General Butler. There 
was no place to lay down, and sleep was a luxury not 
to be thought of. Tlie mischievous employed the time 
circulating reports of captures just made by the rebels, 
of fights with our troops at the Relay House, of re- 
verses to our arms at Harper's Ferry, and various 
other reports of an exciting nature, until the timid be- 
gan to wish themselves back on the safe soil of Penn- 
sylvania. Stories were told, too, of vessels captured 
down the river, burnt, their owners robbed, or made 
prisoners to the new government just started by Mr. 
Davis, and which Maryland was just then strongly in- 
clined to coquette with. In this way the effect of the 
pitiless storm was relieved. Indeed, there were not a 
few simple enough to inquire of the captain if there 
was much danger of capture by some rebel craft lurking 
along the coast. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 



About two o'clock in the morning tlie little major 
made his appearance, creating quite a sensation among 
a throng of ill-featured persons in the after cabin, who 
regarded him v/ith no small degree of curiosity, for he 
Avore his kepi, Iiis cavalry jacket, and a sabre nearly 
as long as himself. He began by lamenting the loss of 
his black bottle, and charged it to the Jews, whom he 
declared to be an unrighteous set of cowards, not one 
of whom dared to cross, a sabre with him, or shoot at 
ten paces on the upper deck. Here the major drew 
his sabre and began flourishing it, to the intense alarm 
of all unarmed passengers, for he declared he would 
snow us how they treated the Jews in Venezuela when 
he commanded the flower of her army. There were 
not a few inquiries as to who the major was, and a 
wag circulated it about that he was a distinguished 
French General, sent over by Napoleon to instruct us 
in the formation of our army. The more sensible set 
him down for a mad adventurer, out of a job, and a 
little tipsy. His expressions of hate for the Jews fail- 
ing to restore his lost bottle, he began drawing a map 
of Venezuela on the deck, with the point of his sabre, 
and then pointed out to the astonished bystanders ex- 
actly where her array was posted during certain battles 
hehad taken a prominent part in. In this wayhe would 
have kept the passengers entertained until daylight, 
but for a stalwart engineer, who picked him up in his 
arms and carried him to the pilot's bunk, where he 
slept soundly until we reached Annapolis. 

Annapolis presented a busy scene just then ; wherever 
the eve turned it met some fresh proof of the restless 



56 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

activity and indomitable energy of General Butler. 
The harbor was full of barges, steamboats, and other 
light draught vessels, some crowded with troops, others 
loaded with munitions of war, forage or subsistence. 
The thirteenth New York (Brooklyn) militia were sta- 
tioned there, and as a proof of their industry and en- 
gineering skill, had built several extensive piers and 
storehouses, and laid the railroad track from the de- 
pot in the town down to and along the Government 
wharves. We arrived just in time to see the first train 
make its entrance into the grounds amidst the cheers 
of the troops. A great change had suddenly come over 
Annapolis ; a change that might liave been turned to 
great results in the future, had the people made their 
thouo-hts and actions conform to it. But thev were 
moody and sullen, and seemed to regard with distrust, 
if not outspoken dislike, the busy scene that was being 
enacted inside of the Government grounds. A little 
after ten o'clock the train started for Washington, filled 
with a motley tlirong of passengers. General Butler 
and his staff accompanied us as far as tlie junction. He 
was on his way to the Relay House, to direct some mili- 
tary movements going on there. All along the road, at 
short intervals, were guards protecting tlie road, their 
rustic huts, made of boughs and underwood, presenting 
quite a picturesque appearance. The good Maryland- 
ers along the road were very uncertain in their loyalty. 
It was not safe, perhaps, to be open traitors, though 
slavery had fixed their sympathies with the south ; and 
the question with many of them was, would patriotism 
be profitable? Not a few of the "most respectable" and 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 57 

more wealthy among tliem would, undercover of dark, 
iiess, have picked up a rail here and there, or destroyed 
a bridge, to show their contempt of the " Lincoln Gov- 
ernment." 

The storm had ceased, the day was warm and sunny, 
and it was one o'clock when we reached Washington, 
then transformed into a vast camp. War had already 
begun to write the history of its work on objects 
about the city. Armed with a passport from the Union 
Defense Committee, setting fortli that I was a good 
and loyal citizen, I passed guards everywhere and 
gained ready admittance " within the lines.'' Pennsyl- 
vania avenue was thronged with men in uniform ; sol- 
diers lounged on the grass plats, and disorder and 
want of discipline were already working their evil 
effect. And, too, it seemed as if all the bad and char- 
acterless men of the country had gathered into the 
capital with a view of procuring prominent places in 
the army. The nation and its cause has since suffered 
because these men generally got what they demanded. 



3* 



CHAPTER YII. 



STRANGE SCENES IN THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. 

But if the city was a great camp, it liad indeed tlie 
appearance of being without a commander. Rhode 
Island troops had turned the south end of the TreasuiT" 
building into a barracks, and some Baker who needed 
employment as a spy was daily discovering rebel plots 
to blow it up. These ridiculous reports, originating 
with bad men among ourselves, seriously disturbed 
the slumbers of certain aged ladies, and also weakened 
the nerves if not the knees of a weak-kneed Cabinet. 
Bad men out of business sought and found employment 
through the fears of those in high office. A French 
philosopher once told me. that it had cost some nations 
more to arm tlieir fears than to defend themselves 
ao'ainst their foes. With what I saw around me I be- 
gan to think there was some truth in what this savan 
had said. Some rulers so fear their friends that they 
lose half their strength when they undertake to fight 
their country's enemies. It looked to me at this mo- 
ment as if fear was to lead us into many damaging er- 
rors. But of this I shall say more in a more appropri- 
ate place. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 59 

Miclii^an, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts 
troops swarmed over the city ; were quartered in 
stores and houses along the avenue, and made the very 
air echo with their merry voices, for war was a novelty 
then. The Patent Office shared with other buildings 
its spacious halls for the accommodation of troops. 
How little control the officers had over their men, 
what must have been the discipline and the spirit of 
recklessness that ruled among all, might have been 
read with pain on the defaced and disfigured walls of 
those noble buildings. Men who would have scrupu- 
lously protected their own property at home, and in- 
deed blushed at the vandal who dared lay vile hands 
on the public buildings of any country, saw their men 
defiice these noble monuments of our progress without 
a word of rebuke. And what, let me ask, could be 
expected of men in an enemy's country whose acts 
were to destroy rather than protect our own public 
buildings ? 

It was, however, in the Capitol of tlie nation that the 
finger of desecration had written its Avork in the boldest 
outlines. This building, so admired by men of taste 
of every nation, was turned into a garrison. The low€r 
floor served as a storehouse, its costly tiles broken 
into crumbs, and the frescoed walls, blackened and de- 
faced, frowning upon huge piles of beef and flour bar- 
rels. The second or main floor presented a still more 
sad and unsightly scene. A Brooklyn regiment, com- 
posed chiefly of Germans, were encamped here, and the 
men seemed to regard it their duty to deface or des- 
troy whatever they came in contact with. The beau- 



60 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tiful corridors, on which art liad exhausted itself in 
decoration, were wantonly defaced, and strewn with 
the litter of filthy mattrasses. You could here see how 
soon war lets loose all the bad passions and makes man 
the most destructive of animals. You could see, also, 
how the soldier, once his spirit of destruction is aroused, 
does not stop to inquire whether the property he des- 
troys belongs to friend or foe. If works of art in the 
Capitol of the nation found no respect at the hands of 
our soldiers, how little could we expect from them for 
property in an enemy's country ? 

In the new hall where our representatives assemble, 
there was being enacted when I entered a strange and 
grotesque scene. It would be doing injustice to this 
history did I not record it. In the Speaker's chair sat 
a grave but stalwart German, with the short thick 
neck and broad shoulders of an Hercules, a big bullet 
head, close cropped, a flat inexpressive face, and his 
brawny arms bared to the elbows. His only raiment 
was a shirt and trowsers, and no Speaker within my 
recollection has ever presented so giant-like a figure. 
Behind him bristled stacks of bright muskets. Accou- 
trements hung here and there from and disfigured the 
walls, while pistols and side-arms lay before him on 
the Speaker's desk. In front of this desk several of his 
comrades had gathered, having taken part in a very 
boisterous but good tempered debate. The man then 
addressing the chair, or rather he who sat in it with 
such clever mock gravity, was tall, lank of figure, and 
the features of his face would have done justice to Don 
Quixote. He spoke with great fluency, clear emphasis, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 61 

and fierce gesticulation. He spoke in the tongue of liis 
fatherland, and I could not get from any one near me, 
so intent were they on listening, what tlie subject un- 
der debate was. The speaker was evidently a man of 
some humor, for every few minutes he would s^end his 
audience into a roar of laughter, and so disturb proper 
decorum that the man in the chair would rise and com- 
mand order. It was clear they were burlesquing, per- 
haps imitating, scenes enacted by the country's legisla- 
ture in the same place. The tall man was evidently a 
great favorite, for there was great cheering when he 
sat down^ and not a few of his companions gathered 
about him offering bread and sausage, and indeed be- 
stowing upon liim various tokens of appreciation. A 
little frisky German, who had several times attempted 
to interrupt the tall man in the course of his speech, 
now rose and was greeted with cries I could under- 
stand to mean — put him out. He had a short, crooked 
nose, this little man, a tea-kettle shaped head, and was 
what is called bandy-legged. He reminded me of Foot 
when he rose in the Senate. He always wanted to be 
up, and nobody could keep him down. He was never 
happy in his seat, and when he was up he seldom had 
anything sensible to say. 

The little frisky man began by frisking in and out 
among his comrades, making strange motions with his 
head and fingers at the man in the chair. The chair 
was not inclined to receive this without rebuke, and 
rising, in defense of its dignity, threatened to throw a 
Colt's revolver at the bulgy head of the peace dis- 
turber. At this the little man made several polite 



62 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

l)0\YS, and would have put a question of privilege bad 
not the chair summarily ruled liini out of order. But 
he was resolved not to regard himself out of order, and 
turning to some one in a distant part of the house be- 
gan ejaculating something I could not understand, and 
shaking his clenched fists in a parox3^sm of passion. 
Tlie chair now ordered him in arrest, and a file of three 
nieu bore him off to one of the committee rooms, then 
used as a guard-liouse. Several other things common 
to parliamentary usage were gone through, with con- 
siderable resemblance to the reality. But it was im- 
possible to witness this strange scene without feelings 
of pain and sorrow. Some of the members' desks were 
brok-en to pieces ; others were rendered useless ; others 
were used by half-clad soldiers to rest their feet upon. 
Soldiers sat in tlie chairs of members, cleaning their 
muskets, or brushing up their belts. The gleam of 
bright muskets and bayonets shooting up through the 
body of tlie house, and resting against the frescoed 
walls, excited a recollection of Rome, when soldiers 
entered the Senate and murdered or drove out the Sena- 
tors. The costly furniture, sofas, and settees, that 
stood along the rear of the hall were broken to frag- 
ments. A similar scene of destruction might have been 
seen in tlie galleries. And this work of wantonness, 
this vandalism of the nineteenth century, the officers 
who permitted it meriting the severest censure, the 
Germans now on duty charged as the work of the First 
New York Zouaves — a regiment made up of, I regret 
to say, firemen. My own opinion is that the Germans 
did quite as mucli, if not more than tlie Zouaves, to 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 63 

produce tins scene of wreck in the capital of tlie na- 
tion. 

I went from the House of Representatives to the 
Senate cliamber, of which we were all so proud. It 
was filled with soldiers ; its furniture was broken, its 
desks destroyed, the paintings on the walls bleared and 
defaced. Respect and reverence seemed gone, and the 
brutal conduct of men placed here to guard and protect, 
deserved the severest censure. The President's desk 
was used as a rack for fire-arms, and the broken sofas 
and chairs were piled in a promiscuous Iteap against 
the side walls. There was no need of turning the Sen- 
ate Chamber into a camp. There was no need of dese- 
crating the Halls of Congress, and turning the Capitol 
of the nation into a barracks. Hs grounds afforded 
ample shelter for tlie troops, and if the enemy had con- 
templated an attack upon it the troops could have de- 
fended it as well from witliout as within. But the 
enemy, with all his crimes, and they are manifold, never 
seriously contemplated an attack on Washington. 
His policy when the war began was to act strictly 
on the defensive. When he changed that policy he 
well knew how strongly Washington had been for- 
tified, and what an attempt to take it would cost 
him. 

I must now return to the object of my mission. I 
had been three days in the city, and through tlie kind- 
ness of a friend in the War Department had succeeded 
in irettinG: two interviews with Mr. Cameron. It 
seemed to me there was no man in the United States 
more to be pitied, since nearly all his time and atten- 



64 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tion was absorbed (or at least I tlioiiglit it was) in giv- 
ing sutlersliips to old friends in Pennsylvania, and in- 
vesting needy lawyers with authority to raise regiments. 
As to cavalry lie was still uncertain about its useful- 
ness in this war. He had consulted various writers, 
and was trying to make up his mind as to what cavalry 
had and had not done in other wars. He was not sure 
that cavalry added much to the real strength of an 
army. Young men would no doubt like to ride to the 
war at the country's expense ; but to open a great na- 
tional riding school for the accommodation of these 
young gentlemen was a question requiring very serious 
consideration. At all events there was no need of 
going beyond Pennsylvania for cavalry. Pennsylvania 
was a great horse-growing State. Her people were 
honest, and most of them could ride. Her farmers, in 
many places, still went to mill mounted. It was clear 
that Mr. Cameron's faith in raising cavalry enough for 
the war was firmly fastened to Pennsylvania, while the 
innocence of his ideas respecting that arm of the ser- 
vice was worthy of the Duke of Newcastle, once Eng- 
land's Minister of War. 

The Secretary saw another serious obstacle in the 
way, and no means of overcoming it. He regarded 
" the regulations" as his master ; and there was noth- 
ing in the regulations to warrant him in supplying 
horses to our volunteer cavalry. Every man must 
provide his own horse and equipments. For the use 
of the horse the Government would pay forty cents 
a day, with an equal amount for forage. Now, it is 
very easy to see liow few men willing to enter the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 05 

cavalry service would have the means of providing 
their own horses and equipments. Such a system, if 
continued, would have been fatal to the organization 
of a volunteer cavalry. There were undoubtedly men 
enough ready to have stepped in and supplied the 
horses ; but few can fail to see liow wide a field for 
the operations of speculators in bad horse-flesh it 
would have opened. General Meigs took a more in- 
telligent view of this subject, and to him is due the 
credit of opening the eyes of the Government to the 
necessity of changing this system and mounting our 
volunteer cavalry at its own expense. 

It was early June, and although Mr. Cameron could 
give us no encouragement as to whether the regiment 
would be accepted, he advised keeping up the organi- 
zation, and trusting to what the furtlicr necessities of 
the war might produce. I liad scarcely left the War 
Department, however, when I heard that the " Gov- 
ernment" had made a colonel of Mr. Carl Schurz, and 
autliorized him to raise a regiment of cavalry, to be 
composed chiefly of Germans, whose military skill the 
Government was at that time inclined to place a high 
price upon. Indeed, it may be added with truth, that 
the Government had at that time a strange and unac- 
countable weakness for German soldiers, and was quick 
to bestow its favors on such as applied for high com- 
mands. This may account for the readiness with which 
Mr. Schurz, a gentleman of fine literary tastes, ob- 
tained what had been refused experienced ofiicers who 
had served in our regular cavalry. Events have sincti 
shown how much the Government had to learn befpre 



OG THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

it came to place a proper value on American courage 
and American talent. 

I liad been four daj^s in Washington, and seen notli- 
ing of the little Major since our arrival. I began to 
be much concerned about him, for he had expressed to 
me great anxiety to get into the very heoTt of Vir- 
ginia, and give the rebels a taste of his courage. He, 
liowever, confronted me in the afternoon, in the sitting 
room of Willards' hotel, very mellow, physically as 
well as mentally ; and the story he related to me was 
very remarkable, as well in its manner of delivery as 
in its deliberate disregard of truth. " Bin troubled 
iver since we arrived," said the Major, with an 
unsafe motion of the body, " witli ickups and tic- 
dol-rue. Had a d — 1 of a time, altogether. Regi- 
ment's no go. Government don't want it, won't ac- 
cept it — no use for cavalry, no how. Cost the country 
too much, you know. Seen General Scott, renewed 
old acquaintance. Said he had not seen anybody he 
was so glad to see since the war. Gave me his chair 
and took another. Talked over Mexico. Took two 
cocktails with him, one l)efore breakfast, t'otlier just 
after. Man of solid ideas, sir, and a soldier. Knows 
just the kind of men needed for this war. Ap- 
pointed me to the command of the scouts — right off, 
to-morrow. You'll hear from me, old fellow. Man's 
curious : up David to-day, down David to-morrow. 
David's up to-day." The Major continued in this 
strange strain for several minutes, then oscillated into 
a chair, drew close to me, and continued in a whisper, 
" &ot the whole plan of the war. So mucli for the old 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 67 

general's confidence in me. Off into Virginia to 
morrow. Paid respects to President; exctianged jokes 
with liim ; told him he could rely on me when ho wanted 
a friend. Bless you, sir, these big men all know me. 
Caleb Gushing (met him yesterday and tipped glasses) 
said, what can I do to serve you. Major ? say the word 
and I'll see you made a general. Seward invited me 
to dine with him, and wanted to know how long the 
war would last. Said he was sorry I could not dine 
with him, and laughed when I said the war would last 
a year. Cameron was studying the Regulations. Said 
I might be at better business than raising cavalry to 
ruin the nation. Couldn't see cavalry that wasn't 
raised in Pennsylvania, where people were honest." 
Tlie Major rose from his chair, bid me good bye, and 
taking the arm of a companion, also under the influ- 
ence of tic-dol-rue, they both went oscillating out of 
the room. This was the last I saw of the little Major, 
nor have I heard of him during the war. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE WAY WE GOT A COLONEL. 



When I returned to New York a great clmiige had 
taken place in our affairs. Our headquarters had been 
removed back to Palace Garden, and the prospects of 
our organization were brighter than I had expected to 
find them. Mr. Carl Schurz, in addition to his commis- 
sion as colonel of cavalry, had been appointed Minister 
to Spain. Not many years ago we were represented, 
or rather misrepresented, at that Court by a frisky 
Frenchman, who excited among Spaniards the remark 
that it was strange a people so intelligent as the Amer- 
icans had to get foreigners to represent them abroad. 

We were now to be represented at the Court of 
Madrid by a very talkative German, between whose 
countrymen and the Spaniards there never existed any 
very high respect. What sending a German to repre- 
sent us at the Court of Madrid could do to heighten the 
respect of Spaniards for us, I leave such of my readers 
as have resided in Spain to form an opinion. Some 
persons have said Mr. Schurz could have been better 
provided for and made more useful at home. Certain 
it is he was in great tribulation, and for some time un- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 69 

decided whether to go into the field— a hero at the 
head of a regiment of troopers — or to proceed to Spain 
and enjoy tlie dignity of a four years' residence at 
Madrid. To be sure, he knew nothing of cavalry, 
although he had recently given liimself to the study of 
books on the subject. And he had authorized Count 
Moltki, as fierce a looking trooper as ever swung sabre, 
to proceed to the formation of a German organization. 
The Count gathered about him several other gay 
troopers from fatherland, and, be it said to his credit, 
was not long in collecting a goodly number of Teutonic 
braves ready to take the field under his command. 

Colonel Carl Schurz walked the streets of New 
York day after day, now fancying himself at the head 
of a regiment of troopers, making brilliant charges on 
the enemy's lines, and for his gallantry winning fame 
that would live and brighten in the history of the war; 
now fancying himself a Minister at Madrid, the com- 
panion of distinguished diplomatists and the sharer of 
Queen Isabella's smiles. The would-be trooper could not 
resist the attractions of Madrid. He decided to go to 
Spain. The question now was how to get rid of his 
commission as colonel, and also to escape the suspicion 
that he was afraid to take the field, for there was any 
number of swash-bucklers in the market at that time, 
and to be numbered among them was fatal to a gentle- 
man with high diplomatic pretensions. 

We, too, had got a colonel, a gentleman who claimed 
Ireland as his birthplace ; was proud that he could 
claim her, but was just from Michigan, where he had 
for some years been engaged in the twin professions of 



70 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

law and politics. In appearance one might have mis- 
taken our new colonel for a village schoolmaster some- 
time out of a job. He wa^ a man of middle stature, 
with a round pleasant face, and hair that hung far 
down over the collar of a shabby black dress coat. 
His neck was encased in a stiff satin stock such as New 
England clerg3mien used to wear twenty years ago. 
His vest was of well-worn black satin ; a big cameo 
pin illuminated a dingy shirt bosom, his trousers 
were black and thready, and a pair of dilapidated mo- 
rocco boots ornamented his feet. I had almost for- 
gotten to mention a tall and somewhat damaged hat, 
which he wore jauntily on the top of his head, and a 
pair of heavy brass-bowed spectacles, that worked 
every few minutes to the tip of a blunt nose, and gave 
him a deaconish air. But our colonel was a man of 
rare genius, and not to bo judged by his clothes. In- 
deed, I have no doubt he wore the latest and most 
approved style of dress known to the legal profession 
in Michigan. I must add also that he had fought, and 
gallantly, too, in our war witli Mexico, where he was a 
captain of cavalry. He had charged side by side with 
the gallant Kearney, when with a mere troop of cav- 
alry he (Kearney) drove the enemy in confusion over 
the causeway and up to the very gates of the city of 
Mexico. The brave Kearney lost his arm there. There, 
too, our colonel was wounded, and he showed you a 
paralyzed arm as the proof of his valor. He was ripe 
of those genial qualities which give strength to friend- 
ships between men, and are exceedingly valuable in 
camp. If he lacked quickness and decision, he could 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 71 

sing* you a good song, tell you a story of sometliing 
pleasant in the past, enjoy a companion over his cups, 
yes, and he had a speech for you after dinner, and few 
could beat him at a rubber of whist. 

Here was an excellent opportunity for Colonel Carl 
Schurz to get rid of the difficulty the War Department 
had fastened upon him. That astute diplomat and 
candidate for martial honors saw in McReynolds, for 
such was our colonel's name, a means of transferring 
his commission as colonel of cavalry, and proceeding 
on his way to Spain, Avhere he could enjoy in peace the 
pleasures of a residence near the Court of Madrid. 
The big politician, too, thought this an excellent op- 
portunity to display his talents, and taking both 
colonels under his shadow, seriously disturbed their 
peace of mind with his attentions. There was nothing 
he could not do for them, even if liis influence had to 
be exerted over the Cabinet at Washington. There, 
he would assert, his patriotism was appreciated, though 
not a few of us knew he was at heart as arrant a rebel 
as could be found soutli of Culpepper. But so afraid 
was he that either colonel should suspect him of being 
anything less than a patriot, ready to shed his blood 
or spend his immense fortune for the cause of the 
Union, that it was difiicult to get him to leave them, 
if only for an hour. Or, if he left one it was to ap- 
pear before the otlier, his hat in his hand, making 
sundry obsequious bows. He always wanted to assure 
the Minister to Spain that he could serve him in 
various ways, and consider it an high honor to be 
afforded the opportunity. And so persistent Avere his 



72 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

offers that Mr. Scliurz began to regard himself as reg- 
ularly beseiged. He was much concerned, too, and 
speut many sleepless niglits, lest he should not get the 
eagles soon enougli on tlie shoulders of our colonel. 
Indeed, there was little business he did not manage to 
get himself mixed up in, to the serious injury and delay 
of whatever we undertook ; and yet he never for one 
hour attended to his own, which was to recruit for 
Company A, wliich he boasted of having tlie lionor to 
command, though, every man in it had long since set him 
down for a fool, and not to be served under for a day. 
Various meetings were held, and after the exchange 
of several propositions it was agreed on tlie part of 
Carl Schurz, Minister to Spain and colonel of cavalry, 
on the one side, and our colonel, for himself, on the 
other : first, that the commission held by Mr. Schurz, 
with the authority it conferred to raise a regiment of 
cavalry, be transferred to our colonel ; second, that 
four companies of Germans were to be admitted a part 
of the regiment ; third, that they should elect officers 
of their own countrymen ; fourth, that the position of 
lieutenant colonel should be given to a German. This 
done, Mr. Schurz was free to proceed on his mission to 
Spain; to seek civil and not military glory. This 
compromise, so quickly agreed upon and so satisfactory 
to Mr. Schurz, had to be sanctioned by the War De- 
partment before it became valid. A delegation must 
be sent to Washington; money must be provided to 
pay its expenses. Here was a nice job for the big pol- 
itician, whose fingers always had a remarkable itching 
for what little money we had in the treasury. This 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 73 

rcmarkaljlo delegation, to effect wliat could have been 
done in an hour by one man, consisted of our colonel, 
Captain Stearns, Captain Boyd, (who was raising a 
company for us in Philadelphia,) and the big politician, 
wlio was sure nothing could be done in Washington 
witliout him. Tliis man must have three hundred and 
fifty dollars, at least, to pay the expenses, and as tliat 
was just the amount we had in the treasury, the contri- 
bution of a generous friend, there was not a shilling left 
to warm up the courage of a new recruit at the Wood- 
bine. What earthly use the big politician could be in 
Washington not one of us could see. Seriously speak- 
ing, one might as well have sent our little bugler, a^j 
ill-begotten an item of flesh and blood as ever was born 
into this or any other world, and a melancholy illustra- 
tion of all the vices known to human kind, though he 
boasted of having sounded his bugle from Maine to 
Mexico. 

The War Department was inclined to regard Ger- 
mans as superior to Americans for cavalry, and hes- 
itated to ratify the agreement. The President, liow- 
ever, stepped in and put an end to the delay by ordering 
the regiment to be accepted, with Colonel McReynolds, 
and filled up with all speed. This done our delegation 
returned to New York, much elated with its success, 
the credit of which the big politician took entirely to 
himself. We now went on recruiting rapidly — the 
Germans for themselves, the Americans for themselves. 
And as we were in better spirits, we changed our liead- 
quarters to Disbrow's riding school, where many an 
4 



74 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

amusing scene in the history of oar recruiting was 

enacted. 

The Germans were a fine, soldierly looking set of 

men, especially their officers, and adapted themselves 
to circumstances better than the Americans. Most of 
them had seen military service in their own country, 
were familiar with the tactics, and, indeed, knew all the 
details of organizing mucli better than we did. Nor 
were they free from boasting of their superior military 
knowledge, and what they would do in battle when the 
time came. We Avere always giving ourselves much 
trouble as to who was to pay the subsistence bills we 
were incurring, for Congress had not yet passed the 
twenty million act for the reimbursement of such per- 
sons as had paid money for recruiting, subsisting, and 
organizing new regiments. The Germans gave them- 
selves no such concern. Their officers enjoyed good 
dinners with an abundance of Rhine wine, and enter- 
tained their friends. With them lager was a potent 
recruiting sergeant, and there was no stint of it among 
the men, who fared sumptuously and also entertained 
their friends. A merrier or better natured set of fel- 
lows never bivouacked. They gave themselves no con- 
cern as to who would pay the bills, having great faith 
in the large generosity of the Government they were to 
fight for. And when they had eaten their credit out in 
one place they would quietly move to another, form the 
acquaintance of a new host, and enjoy his fare. In this 
way tliere came to be numerous confiding Germans, 
each Avith a bill for several hundred dollars, and anx- 
ious to get them paid without delay. The German 



THE STORY OE A TROOPER. 75 

officers were polite gentlemen, who would put their im- 
portuning creditors on the raclv and tell tliem not to 
get impatient. Our creditors were likewise uneasy, and 
had to be put off with the best kind of promises we 
could invent. But recruits came in rapidly, and our 
companies were filling up, some of them with sons of 
the first families in New York. The big politician was 
makino: a irreat deal of trouble for us outside, and had 
not recruited a man for his company, which was being 
filled up through the efforts of Ogle, Bailey, and others. 
The tall melancholy man in black, too, had taken it 
into his head to feel aggrieved, and instead of recruiting 
his company (B) had placed himself under the shadow 
of the big politician ; and both went about like bears 
in tribulation, creating bad feeling between tiie Ger- 
mans and Americans. Sometimes they would be accom- 
panied by the little bugler, who had a strange weakness 
for keeping their company, and, indeed, blowing his 
trumpet for them in exchange for a sixpenny dram, to 
which they would frequently invite him. It is indeed 
doubtful whether Company B would have been made up 
in New York, had not Captain Henry B. Todd stepped 
in and with remarkable energy filled up its ranks. 

There was among the Germans a short, fair-haired 
man of ponderous dimensions, weighing more than three 
hundred pounds, and blessed with a good temper. He 
was short of legs and body, had a strange gait, and 
required the aid of four men to mount his horse. His 
name was Hurtzog, and he was known in the regiment 
as little Bob, the light-horseman. Bob was a riglit 
merry fellow, was kind to his men, never out of temper, 



T6 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

brave withal, and continually falling in love with little 
women. He was fond of dancing, and could sing toler- 
ably well. In truth, he afforded us mucli amusement, 
and was always ready to enjoy a joke made by any one 
at his expense. I mention him here because he per- 
formed some amusing parts during our campaign on 
the Peninsula. 



CHAPTER IX. 



SUNDRY MATTERS. 



I may, perhaps, have written much that may seem of 
a personal character, and not particularly interesting 
to the general reader. My object, however, is to show 
how one or two improper, as well as incompetent per- 
sons, fastened on a regiment through intrigue and fraud, 
and whose loyalty is at least open to suspicion, may 
destroy discipline and endanger the usefulness of that 
regiment. This was the case with our regiment ; and 
it was not the only one in the Army of the Potomac 
that had to contend against the bad influence of a few 
officers, obnoxious to the rest of the regiment. On the 
breaking out of the war the worthless men who had 
fastened themselves on the public institutions of the 
country during the administrations of James Buchanan 
and Pierce, found themselves discharged and out of em- 
ployment. Many of these men were as rank secession- 
ists as were to be found under the immediate shadow of 
Mr. Jefferson Davis. The outward signs tliey gave 
were no proof of what their hearts felt and their liands 
would have done, were it not for the fear of detection 
and that loyal public sentiment, then so thoroughly 



78 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

aroused. These men must have something to do, and 
finding tlicmselves dismissed from officcR they had dis- 
graced, fastened themselves on the army only to corrupt 
it. Those familiar with the many obstacles General 
McClellan had to overcome in organizing the Army of 
the Potomac, also know how much trouble these men 
gave him. Innocent of all military knowledge, and car- 
rying into the army with them all that spirit of intrigue 
common to the petty politician, they were continu- 
ally increasing the labors of generals, continually 
spreading dissensions among the men for selfish mo- 
tives, and never found attending to their proper duties. 
Many of these worthless men sought and obtained 
positions as quartermasters, a position regarded, when 
the war began, as affording the means of making a 
great fortune in a short time. What their peculations 
have cost the nation is too well and painfully known 
to the people. Political influence obtained for others 
positions as field officers ; this over tlie heads of worthy, 
loyal, and brave men. Feeling their own incapacity, 
many of these men sought to screen it by leaving to 
more competent subordinates the labor Government 
was paying them to perform. The xVdministration was 
in a measure to blame for this, since in its haste to con- 
ciliate the opposite party, it was constantly giving 
places of iiigh trust in the army to men known to be 
without character, and utterly unfit mentally or morally 
to fill them. I have noticed also, tliat tlie most worth- 
less of these men were the most ambitious of rank and 
and pay ; generally succeeded in getting botli. It is safe 
to say that one worthless officer costs the Government 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 79 

ton times as mucli as an efficient one. Indeed I think T 
am not wronir in savincr that I have known officers at- 
tached to tlie Army of the Potomac, whom the Govern- 
ment might, with profit to itself, liavepaid to fight in 
the ranks of the rebels. Experience has shown me also, 
that one disloyal officer in onr own ranks, can work a 
more damaging influence than a whole regiment of the 
enemy in our front. 

It was now July. The Germans had carried a very 
high feather for some time, passing us witli an air of 
coldness and high military superiority, and it was evi- 
dent that some influence was at work exciting a very 
bad feelino: between us. We were for some time at a 
loss how to account for this feeling, but as it grew 
deeper and deeper every day, and was likely to be very 
damaging in its results, means were instituted to dis- 
cover its source. It was soon discovered that the big 
politician was at the bottom of it. In order to make 
friends with the Germans he had hung about their 
camp, shared their hos])itality, flattered their vanity, 
and caused them to believe that the Americans were all 
intrio-uino; as-ainst tliem. He could do a great deal for 
them, and intended to do it. He was their true friend, 
and all they had to do was to stand by him. He always 
did like the Germans, and it was the regret of his life 
that he could not speak their language. The Ameri- 
cans were jealous of his wealth and his power ; but he 
would show tiiem that they must do justice by the 
Germans. This was but a specimen of the means the 
big politician used to eifect an object. He had set his 
heart on being quartermaster of the regiment, and was 



80 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

using tills means to get the German officers to recom- 
mend him as a iit and proper person for tlie position. 
His mischievous propensities, however, did not rest 
here, for he sought among the Americans, and used 
similar means to excite bad feeling against the Ger- 
mans. This war, I may say, and with truth, has had 
no more remarkable character, for while he was rest- 
less in spreading mischief, he could not be got to attend 
to his proper business for an hour ; and there was no 
indignity he would not submit to with a bow. 

There was great excitement at headquarters one day, 
caused by a letter just received from the collector of 
the port, making a strange disclosure in which the loy- 
alty of our political friend was involved. A group of 
our officers stood in the centre of the ring as I entered, 
and I recognized the manly figure of Harry Hidden, 
his face flushed with indignation. Anything mean or 
deceitful found a terrible enemy in Harry, and he was 
giving vent to his feelings in strong and earnest lan- 
guage, at the traitor who dared show himself among us 
in the disguise of a loyal man. The letter was handed 
me to read and suggest some course of action. I must 
say here also, that it was shown to our colonel. Hav- 
ing had god?l reasons for suspecting the loyalty of the 
big politician, and hearing that he had been employed 
in the Custom House, one of our officers wrote to the 
collector making inquiries concerning him. This letter 
contained the reply, which set forth that he had been 
dismissed for open and avowed sympathy with the 
traitors of his country. And this was the man who 
had given us so much trouble ; who was working to be 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 81 

made quartermaster of the regiment — a position where 
he could distress brave men and plunder the Gov- 
ernment he secretly hated. He was called up by Ogle 
and others as soon as he appeared at headquarters, and 
asked what he had to say in reply to the grave charges 
contained in the letter, which was handed him to read. 
His answers not being satisfactory, he was given to 
understand that hereafter his absence from headquar- 
ters would be more welcome than his presence. We all 
now enjoyed a feeling of relief, and flattered ourselves 
that we had got rid of a man who had given us much 
trouble, and whose presence in the regiment could not 
fail to have a damaging effect. 

And now I must turn to a different phase of our 
organization, and, for a time, leave our political friend 
in obscurit}^ 

It was interesting, as well as instructive, to witness 
the distinctive traits of national character developed 
by recruits as tliey presented themselves for enlistment. 
The American joined the service because he wanted to 
serve his country and put down the rebellion. So did 
the Irishman, whose earnestness was such that no man 
could question his loyalty. Englishmen were full of 
conceits, did not care much about the war, were willins: 
to fight on that side which paid best, and as the Ameri- 
cans didn't know much about war, were sure always to 
want to give us a great deal of instruction as to how 
they did it in their country. While a few of us were 
seated in the office one da}^, quietly enjoying our pipes 
and suggesting plans to get some of the companies mus- 
tered in, a little bandy-legged Englishman presented 
4- 



82 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

himself, and with an air of great self-importance de- 
manded to see the recruiting hofficer. He had on thick- 
soled shoes, his bandy legs were incased in a pair of 
tight-fitting breeches ; a short blue coat with huge side 
pockets scarcely reached his hips, and a tall hat, of 
sloping crown, gave a quaintness to his short figure. 
" Seein as 'ow you wus raisin a cavalry regiment,'' said 
he, addressing one of our officers, " I thought I'de just 
drap hin 'an see if you'd han hopinin for a mon whoes a 
first rate rough rider. Doeant hunderstand mich about 
rough ridin in this kuntry, I take it? 

In reply to an inquiry as to where he had served, he 
said: "In Lunnun, sir. Bien rough rider to Lord 
Cardigan : he as fought so hin the Criraear. Eard o' 
him, sir, 'spose ? Dun a deal o' rough ridin, here and 
there. Seein in the journals as 'ow you wus a raisin a 
regiment, I says to mysel, here Hugh, a chance now 
offers to get the possishun as hinstructor in rough 
riding." Here the little man, who was the very picture 
of an English groom, began to draw from a side pocket 
numerous grimey papers, which he said bore testimony 
to his character as an honest man as well as his skill 
as a rider. It was agreed among us that something 
must be done for the rough rider. We proposed to 
make him a lieutenant of cavalry and general instructor 
in rough riding, though no such position could be found 
in the Regulations. Would he give us a taste of his 
skill before we enrolled him a candidate for the parch- 
ment .^ That would just suit him. If any gentleman 
" 'ad a OSS as wusent wiel broken to the zaddlc," let 
him be brought out, and he would show us two or three 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 83 

things in rough riding none of us Americans liad seen 
before. 

Now, as I have before said, there was in tlic rcgi" 
ment one Sergeant Ditcher, a poor but honest man. 
He had served under Lord Cardigan, and was one of 
the very few who returned from that desperate charge 
at Balaclava, led by the brave Nolen. An admiring 
friend had made Ditcher a present of a horse, a brute 
so vicious tliat few dare go near him. It required 
some courage as well as skill in horsemanship to mount 
this animal, for when he took it into his head he would 
unsaddle his rider in a trice. The horse was brought 
out, and the ring prepared for an exhibition of the 
rough rider's skill. He examined the bit and found 
fault with it; he found fault with tlie headstall, with 
the apparent docility of the animal. He called the 
saddle (McClellan) a rocking chair, made of wood 
when it ought to have been made of leather. The foot 
guards no skillful rider in his country, he said, would 
think of using. In England, saddles were made of 
pig skin, and her Majesty saw that her troopers all 
had soft seats. After the little rough rider had ex- 
hausted his fault-finding propensities we induced him 
to mount, which he did with some effort. Once or 
twice the animal bounded wildly around the ring. 
Some one cracked a whip, he stopped, made a sudden 
back motion, and the teacher of rough riding was seen 
turning a somersault over his head. The horse stood 
motionless over the prostrate figure on the ground. 
But the unfortunate rider was soon on his feet, saying 
he was not hurt mucli, and lamenting the destruction 



84 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of his tall hat, and the damage otherwise done to his 
breeches. He would not give in to a horse like that, 
he said ; and to show lis that the misfortune was en- 
tirely owing to liis own carelessness he would mount 
again. Of course we admired his courage, and had 
excuses enough for the accident, which might have 
happened to any one. After a good deal of frisking 
and rubbing and brushing he mounted again, when the 
animal set off at increased speed. Once, twice, thrice, 
he went round the circle at a furious rate ; then with 
a sudden bound he threw the rough rider from the 
saddle, his head striking with great force against the 
woodwork of the ring. He was picked up seriously 
stunned. Whisky was brought, and sundry applica- 
tions internally as well as externally soon restored him 
to consciousness and sound health. A dollar rewarded 
him for the exhibition he had given ns of his horse- 
manship ; but he was vain of his skill, and " would 
like to show us gentlemen that he was not the man to 
give in to a 'oss like that un." We invited him to 
come the next day and give us a second lesson, and he 
promised to do so. He took his departure soon after, 
and that was the last we saw of her Majesty's rough 
rider. 



CHAPTER X. 



MUSTERING IN. 



The middle of July was come, and tlie War Depart- 
ment has changed its polic}^, so far as it respected cav- 
alry. I have already described how opposed it was to 
the employment of cavalry when the war began. It 
now seemed more than impatient to get cavalry regi- 
ments organized and sent forward. We received des- 
patch after despatch from the Secretary of War, from 
General Scott, and other high ofiicials, urging the ne- 
cessity of filling up our regiment " at once," and send- 
ing it forward. It was a weakness of the War Depart- 
ment at that time to do its business with bankrupt 
editors, speculators with doubtful antecedents, and 
ambitious keepers of hotels. The despatches sent were 
not directed to the colonel of the regiment, but to Mr. 
Clarke, Mr. Stetson, (Astor House,) and others ; show- 
ins; either that there was a \evv confused state of 
things in the Adjutant General's office, or thafMr. 
Cameron preferred to do the military business of the 
nation through his political friends. 

McDowell was at this time preparing, or trying to 



86 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

prepare, his militia troops for a grand dash on the 
enemy at Manassas. He said, or some one had said 
for him, for it was current in Washington at the time, 
that he had not a caralry officer upon whom he could 
rely to make a proper" reconnoissance of the enemy's 
position. The War Department may have had some 
knowledge of this, which may account for its sudden 
waking up to the fact that there existed a necessity it 
had not before discovered. This haste on the part of 
the Government, however, had a good effect on our 
officers, and excited them to renewed efforts to fill their 
companies, each rivalling the other to get mustered in 
first. According to orders from the War Department, 
companies could not be mustered in until they were 
full. This policy cost us a great many men, who, im- 
patient to get into the field, would stray away and join 
regiments just leaving. 

Through the exertions of Ogle, Bailey, and Jones, 
Company A was nearly full. Todd was encouraging 
his recruits with a few dollars each, and being popular 
with his men was nearly ready to muster in. Harkins 
wanted but a few men to complete his number, and 
Stearns and Hidden, both ready to help a friend wlien 
he needed, had got a large number of men enrolled. 
Some of the officers looked on Stearns' men with a long- 
ing eye, and would occasionally send an old soldier into 
their ranks with a view to making them comrades in 
his'own company. And this the old soldier generally 
did with a few glasses of whisky and a dollar or two. 
These little raids were conducted in perfect good na- 
ture, and as the sweet spirit of love ruled paramount in 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 87 

Steam's character he was generally selected as tlie sub- 
ject of them. 

About this time, a little, bo3ash and beardless man of 
the name of Bennett, brought a company down from 
Syracuse, where he had raised it. I doubt if Syracuse 
will ever sufficiently repay Captain Bennett for reliev- 
ing her of this motly collection of men, many of whom 
must have been a terror to the place. The question 
was frequently asked where this young, innocent look- 
ing man, who dressed with scrupulous care, had picked 
up such a combination of human nature in its lowest 
form. Hogarth could not have drawn a better cartoon 
of human depravity, as pictured in the faces of these 
men. There was the model Bowery boy, as we used to 
see him twenty years ago, with his oily head, his expan- 
sive garments, and his love for brass buttons. There 
was the thick-framed and bullet-headed shoulder hitter, 
ready ahvays to settle a private quarrel with friend or 
foe. There too was the wild, ungovernable youth, the 
misfortune of his parents, who were glad to get him 
into the army, as a fit place to reform his morals. 
These men seemed never without a quarrel. Indeed 
the company enjoyed a perpetual state of war, and 
when its members were not fighting among themselves, 
which was seldom, they were disturbing the peace of 
the neighborhood. Their officers had no control over 
them, and an attempt to enforce discipline enjoined 
a risk they were not willing to undertake. Indeed the 
officers were inclined to treat their men on those terms 
of equality common among men in a country town, but 
which cannot be carried into the army witliout des- 



88 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

troying discipline. And here let me say that I have 
frequently noticed that tlie class of men I have just 
described are rarely to be depended on in battle. 

Captain Harkins was tlie first to fill his company, 
and after the excitement incident to the election of offi- 
cers, which in many cases was a mere matter of form, 
the men were marched to the arsenal in Centre. street, 
and the process of mustering in gone through. With 
some men mustering in is a test of courage. The timid 
see in it a solemn obligation to serve the country as a 
soldier for a term of years, to submit to all the rigors 
of martial law, to undergo all the vexations and hard- 
ships of camp life, to face death in battle, and what is 
more trying to the patriotic spirit of every honest sol- 
dier, to submit tamely to the tyranny and insults of 
officers unfit, as well by birth as education, to be their 
superiors. Many a man, anxious to do his part in put- 
ting down the rebellion, ponders these things over in 
his mind until fear gains the victory, and he falls out, 
unwilling to take the oath that is to make him a sol- 
dier. Instances of this kind occurred when our first 
company was being mustered in. Several who had 
marclied in the ranks to the arsenal, dropped out before 
tlie oatii was administered, and at one time it was 
doubtful if we should get the requisite number. The 
company however was mustered in without a man to 
spare. And then there was great cheering, great 
shaking of hands among the men, and exchange of con- 
gratulations between officers. Major General com- 
manding a corps never felt prouder than did Harkins 
as he walked up and down in front of tlie men he said 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 89 

he was to lead in battle, addressing them words of en- 
coiiraf^ement. This was to be a new phase in his life. 
Tlie stage was a new one to him, and the part he had 
to play was strange and novel. Company B, Captain 
Todd, was next to muster in, and presented a fine ap- 
pearance, for it was composed of men of a superior 
class. The companies, as fast as mustered in and pro- 
vided with tents, were sent to camp in the breezy shades 
of Elm Park, to whicli the tents of our German com- 
panies had already given a picturesque and martial 
look. We had great trouble in .getting the company 
of plug ruffians from Syracuse mustered in. Some of 
them left, or strayed away, as soon as they reached 
New York, and it was with great difficulty respectable 
recruits could be got to take their places. Day after 
day the mustering officer was summoned, and as often 
had to go away disappointed. Some of them would be 
away enjoying a fight with a friend, others might have 
been found at some bar-room, disabled by the too free 
useof whisky. At length, through the influence and supe- 
rior energy of one Sergeant McCormack, the only man 
that seemed to have any control over them, the requis- 
ite number was got, and they were mustered and sent 
to camp, much to the relief of the neighborhood and 
every one about headquarters. 

Stearns and Hidden, between whom there existed 
feelings that had grown and ripened into the truest 
friendship, had generously given tlieir men to assist 
others in filling up their companies, and neglected 
themselves. They were now Avithout men enough to 
muster in, and how to obtain them Avas a very difficult 



90 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

problem to solve. Some of tlic means we liad to resort 
to at times to get a man or two in order to make u]) 
tlie number required by the regulations were really of 
the meanest kind, although they afforded us some amuse- 
ment. In one case, where it was found that we only 
lacked two men to fill up a company, a sergeant and 
two men (old soldiers) went out on a raid, and soon 
returned with a smutty blacksmith, to whom they had 
2:1 ven five dollars to come and be mustered in for a sol- 

o 

dier. This was given him with the assurance that as 
soon as mustered in he might go free. But the black- 
smith was suspicious that we were setting a trap for 
him, exhibited much uneasiness during the process of 
being made a soldier, and was quick to take his depar- 
ture as soon as the ceremony was over. The raiders 
also made forcible seizure of a poor inoffensive looking 
baker, on his way to his master's customers with a bas- 
ket of loaves. The poor baker was frightened out of 
his wits, and lustily pleaded the necessity of getting 
bread to his master's customers in time for dinner. He 
w^as told tliat he would get five dollars to come and be 
sworn in for a soldier, after that he might go where he 
pleased. But he was not inclined to understand this 
way of making a bargain. He declared he did not 
want to go for a soldier, was indeed a poor but honest 
man, had a family of small children with stomachs to 
fill, and would never get absolution if he took an oath 
he did not intend to respect. The absolution seemed 
to trouble him most. But tlic sergeant and his com- 
rades were insensible to these appeals, and wliile one 
took charge of his basket of loaves, the others brought 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 91 

liim hy force into tlie building, wliere they threatened 
to hang him unless he consented to be sworn in for a 
trooj^er. The poor fellow consented at last, though in 
great fear that this was only a plan to deprive him of 
his liberty. Indeed it was with great difficulty he could 
be kept from breaking away during the ceremony of 
mustering in. When it was over he was given the five 
dollars, and speedily went about his business, declaring 
by the saints he never would be caught in such a scrape 
again. Many amusing incidents of this kind might be 
related, showing to what ^straits we were at times pub 
to get one or two men to fill up a company. 

And now the time had come for mustering in Com- 
pany A, about which the big politician had caused us 
so much delay and trouble. We had seen nothing of 
either him or the melancholy man in black for several 
days, and fears were entertained, not that they had 
taken final leave of us, but that they had carried oft' 
the little bugler for some selfish purpose. It was very 
well understood that no man could blow his own trum- 
pet better than the big politician, and what need the 
melancholy man in black could have for the little bu- 
gler, unless it was to carry his weighty sabre, none of 
us could tell. Nor could we understand the remark- 
able and deep sympathy existing between the melan- 
choly man and the big politician, for while the latter 
was a man of huge stomach and small brain, a Falstaff 
in vanity, and exceedingly illiterate, the former was a 
man of cultivated tastes. Indeed he was something of 
an artist, as well as a poet, and was given to writing 
sonnets to ladies, and painting flowers for their albums. 



92 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Just as ilic company was a.boiit to proceed to the 
election of officers, we were all surprised to see tliebig 
politician come tramping into the circle in all liis 
magnificence, followed by the melancholy man in black 
and the little shark-moutlied bugler. He stood expand- 
ing himself for a fev/ minutes, then began circulating 
among and conversing with the men. One or two of 
them assured him" he was immensely popular with every 
man in the company, and would undoubtedly be .elected 
their captain. This gave him encouragement. He was 
sure they could not desire a more warlike leader. And 
he warned them not to forget how great a responsibility 
they were about to assume, and how necessary it was 
that they elect men of first rate military talent and 
gentlemen for officers. Such qualities, he was proud 
to say, he had been told he possessed. But that was 
neither here nor there ; he had seen service in Mexico, 
and had a good record, notwithstanding some evil- 
minded persons (and he always loved his enemies) had 
said they could not find it. 

Now the men of tliis company were remarkable for 
their intelligence, and received what the big politician 
said as a very good off'set to the joke they were attempt- 
ing to play on him. Indeed they induced him to write 
a vote for every man, to whom he gave particular in- 
structions what to do with it. But, to the great sur- 
prise of all those not in the secret, when the votes 
came to be opened and counted tliey were all for Ogle, 
Avho was proclaimed captain with loud cheers. Tlie 
big politician affected not to understand this ; thought 
the men must have made a mistake, shook his head, and 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 



93 



at last intimated that lie would go where first rate mill- 
tar}^ talent was in better demand. " Hard, hard," he 
said, running his fingers through his bushy hair, " that 
wlien a man is brave he can't have a chance to show 
it." Some of the men expressed great sympathy for 
him. Olne hoped to meet him on the battle-field. An- 
other intended to vote for him, and it was through a 
mistake that he did not. A third declared him fit for 
a Brigadier General. A fourth knew he would get the 
stars if the authorities at Washington only knew as 
much of him as we did. He had a bow for every one 
of these compliments. There lie stood for some time 
frisking his fingers through his shaggy hair, and hint- 
ing that the time would come when first rate military 
talent would be appreciated. Again he took his de- 
parture, followed by the melancholy man, who, at tliat 
time, was always to be found in his shadow. 

We had now nine companies mustered in ; eight in 
New York and one under Captain Boyd, in Philadel- 
phia. And I must here say that Captain Boyd was 
making great efforts to be the first company of volun- 
teer cavalry in the field. 



C U A P T E R XI. 



BULL RUN. 

At the time these ])leasaiit and somewhat amusing 
pceucs were being performed in New York, (say from 
July ITth to July 23d, 1861) others of more terrible 
importance to the nation were being enacted on the 
plains of Manassas. The first battle of Bull Run, if 
indeed it rises to the dignity of a battle, had been 
fought with most disastrous results to the nation's 
honor and arms. The nation's brain was reeling under 
the burden of its conceits when this battle was fought, 
and the political foll}^ that assumed to control the ac- 
tion of our army was clearly illustrated in the result. 
An army of thirty thousand men, composed chiefly of 
undisciplined militia, good enough for ornaments in 
fair weather, but not to be depended on as fighting 
soldiers, badly officered and indiff"erently equipped, 
vain of its own strength and yet so weak that it was 
ready to crumble to pieces under the first shock of 
battle, marched forth with great pomp and circumstance, 
conhdent of its ability to crush an army equal in num- 
bers, holding positions of great strength, and whose 



THE STORY OV A TROOPER. 95 

power ill earnestness and courage onr rulers at Wasli- 
ington had not tlioiiglit it worth while to consider. 
There were those who expressed great surprise that 
this thing of show and glitter, of such great cost to the 
people who had fondled it as a child fondles a new toy, 
should have been beaten. But there was really nothing 
in it to be surprised at. Folly always pays such pen- 
alties for its crimes. What, indeed, was to have been 
expected of an army in which whole regiments, on the 
eve of a battle in which their country's honor was to 
be staked, refused to obey orders and asserted their 
right to return home because their last day of enlist- 
ment was come ? In other regiments officers were 
encouraging a spirit of insubordination among their 
men because of some fancied default in rations on the 
part of Government. And, too, there were regiments 
that broke up and scattered at the firing of the first 
gun. One regiment was so ready to exchange its honor 
and the honor of tlie country for its own safety, as to 
march off the field witli the echoes of the enemy's guns 
sounding in its ears. In a word, there were far too 
many in the ranks of this showy army who considered 
themselves the superiors of their officers, and who were 
always ready to make personal considerations an ex- 
cuse for their bad actions. To hold a general respon- 
sible for the acts of such an army is to insist that he 
shall do what is beyond the power of man. 

While, however, other nations regarded war as the 
greatest scourge they could be inflicted Avith, and re- 
quiring their most serious attention, our people had 
felt none of the horrors incident to it, and were inclined 



96 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

to treat it in the light of a novelty ; something out of 
which money was to be got, and profit made by tlic 
excitement it was to keep the country in while it lasted. 
This truth finds an apt illustration in the conduct of 
that immense rear guard of civilians of all classes that 
swarmed over the hills and spread over the fields of 
Fairfax county ; that followed and blocked up the 
roads in the rear of the army, and made itself joyous 
with the hope of being an amused spectator at a slaugh- 
ter of human beings. There, mingling in that strange 
mob, were grave Senators and common excitement 
seekers, Congressmen and gamblers, political char- 
letans and the professional gentleman common to Wash- 
ington, the writer, the actor, and the artist, the woman 
of chaste virtue and the painted harlot. Light-hearted 
and giddy-headed, the anxiety with which each pressed 
forward to be at the scene of battle first, reminded one 
of the Romans of other days, when they went to a 
fight between wild beasts, or the English of to-day as 
they fill the roads t)n their way to the Derby races. 
And then there was to be a feast after tlie fight, and 
such as could carried with them abundant luxuries to 
spread the banquet tables. These scenes, which every 
serious thinker contemplates with a feeling of sadness, 
did no credit to either the lieads or hearts of those who 
participated in them. . They were there as excitement 
seekers, and notliing else ; they were there hoping to 
find enjoyment in tlie most savage scenes^ human inge- 
nuity can devise. But the injury did not stop here. 
It interfered with and confused the action of the army, 
excited the fears of the timid, and greatly increased 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 97 

tlie magnitude of our disasters when we retreated. 
The wonder is that such an army, surrounded by so 
many bad elements, commanded by a ^general it soon 
saw was unequal to tlie position, and fighting under 
such adverse, circumstances, should not have been 
thrown into disorder and panic sooner. 

Let us turn now and look at tlie southern army as it 
appeared on the day of battle. A lower state of civil- 
ization ruled in the ranks of that army; but candor 
compels us to admit that it was better officered and 
more capable of effective handling than ours. These 
were, indeed, essential advantages in the fighting ma- 
terial of our army. And then the ofiicers of that army 
were stern, earnest, and resolved. We cannot deny 
many of them the claim that they believed they were 
there to fight for principles as dear to them as liberty 
itself. It was our error not to place a proper value 
upon this stern earnestness of the South when the war 
began. And, too, the men composing the rank and file 
of the southern army were stimukited to action b}^ the 
firm belief that tliey were fighting for their homes and 
all that is dear to home. That belief had increased 
into a fanaticism more terrible and dangerous than 
that which at tlie North had driven our rulers at 
Washington to send an army into the field to fight 
before it was ready. 

Nor must it be forgotten that the institution of slav^- 
ery had done its part in making these men fierce 
fanatics and formidable in war. The institution re- 
quired a severe discipline for its proper regulation ; 
and the enforcement of that discipline had its effect in 
5 



08 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

steeliog the hearts of the lower classes against suffering 
and torture. It made the ignorant white man brutal, 
and yet subservient to the intelligent and rich. It 
accustomed men to the use of arms, made them vigilant, 
reckless of human life, savage in dealing with the weak, 
and quick to put their courage to the test, if onh' for 
effect. Among the ruling classes slavery begat a spirit of 
command and feeling of superiority. The man who 
had been reared and educated among, and indeed all 
his life witnessed the utter abjectness of his slaves, 
whose word was law, and who felt that he was to be 
promptly obeyed in everything, was not to blame for 
considering himself a superior being, born to command. 
Southern society, too, had constituted itself a tribunal 
for the test of courage, and these tests, so frequently 
applied between gentlemen, engendered elements of 
character which, however much to be admired when 
under proper control, became fierce and warlike when 
aroused. It was the southern man's worst error that 
he carried this spirit of command and feeling of supe- 
riority out into the world with him, and in his haste to 
exercise them offensively over his equals, made enemies 
where he needed friends. These elements of character, 
however dangerous and to be deprecated in private 
life, were just what were required to make an army 
fierce and formidable. Our army had all these quali- 
ties to acquire through training and experience in the 
field. The northern man had also done much to in- 
crease the southern man's belief that he was much his 
superior in courage. And this belief, with its joint 
value in war, the southern man brought into the field 



THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 99 

with liim. Was it then matter for surprise that these 
armies, brought together under such circumstances, 
should have produced the result they did ? The very 
savaQ:eness with which some of the southern regiments 
fought cast a feeling of terror into the ranks of our 
more undisciplined troops. Nor had the battle pro- 
ceeded far when it became evident to both the officers 
and men of our army, that the southern troops were 
being handled with superior skill ; that our general, 
if he had a definite plan, was taking no proper meas- 
ures to carry it out. Some regiments were fighting 
without orders, and in confusion ; batteries that lost 
their positions had no one to tell them where to take 
new ones ; regiments that ought, to have been active in 
the fight stood looking on ; and the reserve stood 
waiting for orders it never received. All these things 
combined to excite the fears of our men, and once this 
fear broke into a panic, control was beyond human 
power. Soldiers and civilians became mingled in the 
confused and terrified mass, made more desperate in its 
struggle for safety by the shadows of a few cavalry-men 
the infantry had turned its back upon. The broad 
landscape now became dark with this terror-stricken 
mob, rushing back in wild disorder upon Washington, to 
alarm the country with a thousand stories of blood and 
savagery, and make the Government feel itself a mere 
child. General McDowell returned to Washington a 
forlorn soldier without an army. His army, if an army 
it might have been called, liad got there before him, a 
disordered mob, scattered through the streets of a 



100 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

capital it had left at the mercy of an enemy ignorant 
that its gates had been tlirown wide open to him. 

I have searched in vain through most tliat has been 
written on this battle for an intelligent analysis of the 
cause of the panic that seized on our troops. General 
Barnard says " we should liave undoubtedly gained a 
victory but for the panic that seized on our troops ;" 
and Doctor Bellows, an equally profound authority on 
military philosophy, says, " I am told that we really 
gained the victory, but threw it away on our fears." I 
have no doubt that both these wise conclusions will be 
fully appreciated by an intelligent people. Every mil- 
itary man of observation knows that fear and its effects 
have much to do in deciding battles. But when fear 
in an army degenerates into a panic, the cause must be 
looked for in its discipline and generalship. Some 
writer has said fear was the great quicksand of the 
human breast, but no one could tell where and when 
its sands were going to shift. It certainly makes 
children of timid men ; and it even disfigures the ac- 
tions, at time«, of the brave. Shall we, then, a natu- 
rally brave people, credit to fear our first great misfor- 
tune on the plains of Manassas ? We ought, I think, 
to look for it in the character of our generals. 

Still, out of this great misfortune there came good. 
It taught us to distinguish between the value of a fair 
weather and a fighting soldier. It exposed the worth- 
lessness of our conceits and reformed the ideas of the 
nation, if not the Government, as to what really con- 
stituted an effective army. It ought, also, to have 
opened the blind eyes of the Government to the real 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 101 

value of military experience in conducting a war. But 
it did not. The dainty fingers of the men who had 
been most active in producing this disaster — in urging 
an army to fight before it was ready, were still per- 
mitted to meddle with the business of generals, and to 
work mischief for our cause. These men wanted to 
reverse the old standard rule of war, and place the 
reformer in advance of the soldier. Who is there 
to-day that can tell us what their attempts to make 
experiment take the place of reason has cost the nation 
in blood and treasure ? 



c n A r T E R X I T 



IN CAMP. 

Our little town under canvas, as it nestled among 
tlie deep green foliage and under the breezy shades of 
the tall trees of Elm Park, was fast filling up with a 
strange mixture of people. It began, too, to put on 
a busy and military air. The Germans and Americans 
had drawn well defined lines of distinction, and indeed 
pitched their tents on separate ground. There were 
Austrians, Prussians, Poles, and Hungarians composing 
the former, and, as a natural result, there was at times 
some bad blood manifested between " the nationalities. '^ 
The Irish and Scotch joined the American companies, 
the former always being ready for a fight with " the 
Dutchmen," as they called the Germans. Now and 
then they amused us with a little tongue fight across 
the street, in which sundry challenges would be sent 
and returned; an Irishman offering to bet a bottle of 
whisky — of which dangerous fluid he had taken a little 
too much — that he could wliip six Dutchmen; or a Ger- 
man offering to bet a keg of lager that he could whip 
ten Irishmen before eating his supper. Sometimes 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 103 

tliese tongue battles ended with an Irishman and a 
Dutchman being sent to the guard-house to keep com- 
pany and cultivate more fricndl}^ relations. Not un- 
frequently these quarrels were in pantomime of the 
fiercest description, one party not understanding a 
word of what the other said. 

This camp life has its quaint lights and shades. It 
develops and brings boldly out all the good and bad 
qualities of men — all their virtues and their vices. 
Here the gentle and generous nature performs its mis- 
sion of good for others. Here the firm will and the stout 
heart of the physically weak rise superior and assert 
their dignity over tlie man of coarse nature. Strange 
associations are formed in camp ; warm, sincere, and 
enduring friendships spring up between men, and will 
be remembered and cherished through life. Charity 
takes a broader range in camp, heart meets heart in 
all its longings; strangers from a distance meet to be- 
come friends and brothers; tent shares its bread audits 
bottle witli tent next door, and tlie faults and follies of 
men are judged in a more generous and Christian 
spirit than that which rules in higher places. Here 
every man tells tlie story of his life's love and disap- 
pointment. Here, over a pipe, after taps, the man who 
has roamed over the world in search of fortune, re- 
lates his strange advenUu-es to his listening compan- 
ions, whose sympathies he touches and whose bounty 
he is sure to share, for the world's unfortunates always 
find a warm friend in the true soldier. In camp, as our 
army is composed, rich and poor meet in the ranks as 
equals, and the educated and the ignorant find shelter 



104 ■ THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

under one tent. Tliey are here as brotliers, enlisted 
for a common purpose, to stand shoulder to sl)Oulder 
against a fierce enemy, and figlit to preserve tlie very 
life of their country. And the arm finds strengtli wlien 
sure that true friends are near. 

We liad reached that stage wlien tlie realities of a 
soldier's life, and Avhat was before ns during the three 
years of our enlistment, became subjects of conversa- 
tion. What dangers we would liave to share, wliat 
hardships we should have to undergo, what scenes of 
blood to witness, and perhaps participate in ; how 
many of us would fall in battle, or die of disease and 
neelect ; how many of us would return to recount in 
pleasant homes all the vicissitudes of war our 'regiment 
had passed through, were subjects of contemplation as 
well as conversation. Tliese subjects, too, Avere much 
enlarged by Ihe old soldiers, who found apparent de- 
light in exciting tlie fears of the timid and hesitating. 

Love also had leaped the gates of our camp, and we 
had more than one case where the tender passion was 
yielding to the charm of Mars. Every fine afternoon a 
pretty, elastic-stepping girl of eigliteen used to come 
tripping over tlie lawn, her black braided hair arranged 
in such beautiful folds, and her eyes beaming with love 
and tenderness, to see one of our handsome captains. 
We had several, aiid they were just out in bright new 
uniforms, which gave them quite a soldierly appear- 
ance. The other captains envied this one the beautiful 
captive he was soon, as report had it, to carry off. He 
would meet her half way down the lawn, and there 
was something for a bachelor to envy in the sweet 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 105 

smile that played over lier pale oval face as the distance 
shortened between tliem. Then there was the warm, 
liearty shake of the hand; he had a sly but honest way of 
imprinting a kiss on her peachy cheek. And there were 
other little love tokens so tenderly expressed that it 
needed only a glance to read in them how truly heart was 
speaking to heart. She would always bring him some 
little present. Then they would stroll together to the 
tent door, and sit talking their heart secrets until some 
duty called him away. I have seen her sit working 
some piece of worsted for him, her soft eyes looking 
up lovingly in his face as his hand stole under her 
shawl and almost unconsciously around her waist. 
And then* he bid her such an envied good-by as he 
left her at the gate, and waved his handkerchief as she 
turned half way down the lane to toss a last fond 
adieu for the night. This was the high noon of their 
love dream, and Heaven was sweetening the enchant- 
ment with the perfume of flowers. 

And there was a pretty blue-eyed blonde, with 
round, cherub-like face, and curls the breeze used to 
play with as she came, tripping Avith such artless gaiety 
down the lq.wn to see one of our dashing lieutenants. 
Her tight-fitting bodice, cut after the fashion of a habit, 
gave a bewitching roundness to her form ; and there 
was something so childish, so artless in her manners 
that it seemed as if Heaven had blessed her witli the 
sweetest of natures. We called her the June flower of 
our camp, and gave her a hearty welcome, for her 
presence was like bright sunshine after a dark storm. 
She brought the young lieutenant flowers, put his tent 
5* 



106 THE STORY OF A TROOPEK. 

in order, and rollicked about witli the air of a girl 
just from school. And the young lieutenant was so 
proud of her, patted her so gently on the shoulder, and 
spoke in such tones of kindness. And when they 
parted, I could see that a feeling of sadness invaded 
her light heart, for a tear would brighten like a diamond 
in her blue eyes, and then write the story of her love 
down her cheeks as she went away. • 

Our camp at times would also be enlivened by an aged, 
leather-faced woman in big spectacles. Armed with a 
bundle of tracts she would distribute them among us; 
tell us what the Lord was doing for us, and how we 
would need his help in battle, and must pray to Him, 
and read the tract before we slept. This 'aged lady 
was in no very high favor with our parson, (we had 
got both a parson and a doctor,) who regarded her 
efforts as an infringement of his right to get us all 
made Christians in his own way. Nor did the doctor 
and the parson quite agree as to the best way to save the 
souls of soldiers. Indeed, they too often had tiieir lit- 
tle differences as to what sort of medicine would best 
improve the spiritual and physical condition of the 
men. But the doctor generally got the best of it, for 
he was active and skillful, and what was more, gained 
favor with the men by setting them good examples, 
while the parson, eloquent enough in speech and prayer, 
was weak in the flesh, and so given to the bottle as to 
become its slave. 

Love also had its votaries among our German compan- 
ions across the road. A little frisky Dutch woman, with 
a bright bulging forehead, and a face like an over-fed 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 107 

doll, and dressed in pink and blue, would come of /an 
afternoon to see little Bob the lig'lit-horseman. B-ob 
Tv^as now a lieutenant, had a t<^nder and generous hyart, 
and never went into a neio'liborhood without faHins; in 
love with all the small women in it. There was lio 
happier being in this world than Bob when the little 
frisky Dutch woman sat at his side in froiU of his tent, 
with empty beer kegs for seats. She olways brought 
something good for Bob, which they enjoyed with the 
addition of a bottle of Rhine wine. Ti.>e captains, too, 
had their jolly buxom wives, who came and spent the 
day, setting their husbands' tents in order, preparing 
good dinners, and adding an air of che;3rfulness to the 
camp. Indeed our German side of the camp seemed to 
be in favor with the women, who brought abundance 
of good cheer to their friends. 

Notwithstanding the pleasant scenes I have described 
above, they were at times marred with acts which told 
us how much bad blood had been stirred up by some 
one between the Germans and Americans. That there 
sliould have been any bad feeling between us was a 
misfortune, and arose solely from a misunderstanding 
as to the temper and intentions of the Americans to- 
wards the Germans. Tliis misunderstanding was 
caused by the bad influence of one man. Indeed, the 
Americans were kindly disposed towards the Germans, 
and ready to give them credit for more knowledge of 
cavalry, and better skill as soldiers. In truth, all that 
was required to make us good friends was a better 
knowledge one of the otlier, and the exercise of a con- 
ciliatory spirit. And these followed when we had 



108 THE STOEY OF A TROOPER. 

bv^en a short time in the field, and formed a better ac- 
qijiaintance. In trutli, the time came wlien American 
officers were so much in favor with the men of tlie Ger- 
man companies tliat they were pleased when placed 
under their command. This was no doubt owing to 
the fact that American officers were more tolerant and 
less severe vdth their men than the Germans. Indeed, 
I have noticed in regiments made up chiefly of Ger- 
mans that there was no very good feeling existing be- 
tween the men and their officers. 

It becomes dow my duty to record the first appear- 
ance of a batt]e. The morning of the 28th of July was 
warm and sunny. It was nearly noon when the calm 
of our camp was suddenly broken by signs of war. 
The hotel near by was the scene of great commotion. 
Somebody had insulted somebody. Angry words had 
been exchanged for blows. The slumbering unity of 
the nationalities had become disturbed, and it seemed 
as if satisfaction was to be got only through the sabre 
and pistol. The commotion which began at the hotel, 
soon spread to our camp, and officers and men were 
only too ready to take part in it. Men did not stop 
to think, while the report ran with lightning speed 
that there was a fight between the Germans and Amer- 
icans. Officers buckled on tlieir sabres and, grasping 
their pistols, called on tlieir men to form in line. The 
little bugler, who had been roaming here and there in 
search of some one to give him an order, raised his 
horn and blew what sounded very like "boots and sad- 
dles." Then he seized a l)ig knife in one hand, and with 
bis bugle in the other, took position at the right of Com- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 109 

pany A. The fat Dutch bugler was not to be outdone by 
the little bugler, and raising his hoin blew a most dis- 
cordant strain, sending the ruddy faced Dutch women 
screamino- to the tents of their husbands and sweet- 
hearts. Men armed themselves at this signal, some 
with sticks and clubs, others with rusty old sabres, 
crooked as reaping hooks, and of so strange a pattern 
that one of our officers declared they must have been 
used in the wars of the Assyrians who had bequeathed 
them to the ancestors of the Union Defense Committee, 
which loaned them to us with an injunction that we were 
not to take them to the field. The German officers 
seemed to have little control over their men, who turned 
out in great confusion, talked loudly, and threatened 
to do an immense deal of harm. Several times they 
broke into disorder, and advanced as if to make a sud- 
den and desperate charge; and as many times they halted, 
as if to exhaust their courage in loud and fierce denun- 
ciation. The American companies were not to be 
daunted by loud talk, and stood firm, and with solid 
ranks, ready to receive the attack. Germ.an offi- 
cers began expostulating with American officers, but 
as one could not understand a word the other said, the 
more they attempted to reconcile matters the more ex- 
citement they made among the men, who began to be- 
lieve the trouble was to result in a fight between their 
officers. There was every sign now that blood would 
be shed, and the peace of the camp seriously dis- 
turbed. 

Our little bugler blew another blast of his horn, and 
the officers told their men to stand firm, and the fat 



110 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Dutch bugler answered with a shrill blast from his 
horn. This was followed by a sudden movement on 
the German side of the field, as if a real charge was to 
be made. Two lucky circumstances occurred just at 
this moment, and to these circumstances I am in- 
debted for not having to record what might have 
been one of the bloodiest battles in the history of 
this war. Little Bob, the light-horseman, with com- 
mendable courage, threw himself, with drawn sabre, 
among his countrymen and pleaded for peace. And 
just as he did this our colonel appeared on the 
field, and his presence was the signal for a stay 
of hostilities. Great efibrt was now made to get at 
the cause of the misunderstanding, to do which required 
the exercise of a good deal of patience. First the men 
were sent to their tents, to which they went with some 
reluctance. Then such of the officers as were most in- 
clined to peace met in council, and after much and pa- 
tient research, discovered wdiat the cause of the trouble 
was, and likewise came to an agreement as to the sat- 
isfaction. It seems that a German had said or done 
something whereby the wife of one of our officers, a 
lady of very sensitive feelings, considered herself in- 
sulted. The husband came forward as the guardian of 
his wife's honor, as was natural enough, and threatened, 
or really did, chastise the offender. On this point, 
however, the testimony was somewhat confused ; nor 
did what the little bugler said concerning it Iielp to 
make it a bit clearer ; for although he swore to seeing 
a "Dutchman struck in the stomach," to use his 
own language, he was of opinion the blow came from 
'' another Dutchman," and not from the lady's husband. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. Ill 

It was now agreed for the Germans, on the first part, 
and the Americans, on the second, that the offender or 
offenders when found sliould be sent to the guard-house 
for two days on short rations ; that tliey should be 
reprimanded and advised not to do so again. Now, as 
these terms were accepted as satisfactory, the husband 
regained his usual good nature, and the lady ceased 
weeping, and indeed spent the rest of the day in an in- 
nocent flirtation. As to tlie officers they spent the rest 
of the day over such good cheer as their friends had 
provided, thankful that they had escaped without a scar. 

We were not, however, to leave Elm Park without 
a real fight; and the shedding of some blood. Tues- 
day, the 4th of August, witnessed a scene more serious 
in its results. At another point of the same park there 
was encamped the nucleus of a cavalry regiment, call- 
ing itself the " Lincoln Greens," which seemed like an 
attempt to steal the name of our regiment. These 
" Greens" were made up chiefly of Austrian s, for whom 
the Germans of our regiment had the bitterest hate. 
There were the Prussians, who regarded them as arro- 
gant cowards ; the Hungarians, who despised them in 
their hearts ; and ^ the Poles, who only wanted an op- 
portunity to pay off the old national score against 
them. It can readily be seen what a state of feeling 
must have existed between these conflicting elements. 

Tlie " Greens," too, were inclined to fly a high 
feather when speaking of our Germans. This bad feeling 
grew more deep and bitter every day. The men had 
enjoyed little fights between themselves, which their 
officers had regarded with indifference. 



112 . THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

About two o'clock of the day I liave named, several 
pistol shots, in rapid succession, Avere heard in the vi- 
cinity of the hotel, the scene where almost every disturb- 
ance began. These were followed by loud calls for help. 
Then came the clashing of sabres, the heavy blows of 
clubs, and such otlier weapons as were at hand. A re- 
port spread through the camp like lightning that the 
Germans of the Lincoln Cavalry were fighting with the 
"Lincoln Greens." The excitement became general. 
Officers and men seized their weapons and prepared for 
battle. Again the report of pistol shots rang on the ' 
ear, and word came that one man had been killed and 
two severely wounded. The fighting was on the brow 
of a hill, down which our Germans were being pressed 
slowly, before superior numbers. The American 
officers held their men in restraint, being inclined to 
let the Germans fight it out between themselves, and 
not caring much which got hurt most. Indeed, the 
only Americans much concerned about it were our 
colonel and the little bugler. The first gave orders 
our Germans neither understood nor obeyed, for, hav- 
ing armed themselves with all sorts of weapons, and 
particularly the old sabres of the Union Defense Com- 
mittee, rushed up the hill to reinforce their hard- 
pressed comrades ; the second made the noise and con- 
fusion more intense by blowing all manner of calls on 
his bugle. And these calls brought out the fat Dutch 
bugler, wlio blew away until his very face turned 
purple, making a noise that rose high above the clash 
of arms. 

The reinforcements at once took up the fight, which 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 113 

became desperate and bloody, considering tlie ancient 
cliaracter of the weapons tliej fonglit with. One 
wounded man after another was carried to a place of 
safety, bleeding. But the Greens were overpowered 
and began to fall back, at first in regular order, tlien 
in considerable confusion. The Germans fought with 
great earnestness, and were not inclined to show much 
mercy to their enemies, whose officers had souglit safety 
in the kitclien of the hotel. Finally, there was a gen- 
eral rout of the Greens, wlio fled in disorder across 
the fields towards the park, followed and beaten by 
our infuriated troopers. The Colonel ordered tlie re- 
call sounded ; the little bugler ran until he was out of 
breath, mounting one stone wall after another, and 
sounding the recall, which eclioed over the fields, un- 
heeded. Tlie fat Dutch bugler was ordered to follow 
and sound the recall, but he was no more successful in 
bringing back the fierce victors than was the little 
buffler. In less tlian half an hour from the time the 
fio'ht beo-an, not a " Lincoln Green" was to be seen in 
the adjacent fields. When our men returned, which 
they did of their own accord, they were cursed by 
their officers for scoundrels, and sent to their tents, to 
which they went willingly enough, knowing that what 
they had done had the secret, if not avowed, approba- 
tion of their superiors. Some of our German officers 
then made a search for the officers of the Lincoln 
Greens, and finding them in their various hiding places, 
cursed them rii^rht soundlv for cowards who had incited 
their men to these desperate acts, and then refused to 
share in the result. High words passed and blows 



114 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

had nearly followed, when our parson stepped in as a 
peace maker. And the good efforts of the parson, who 
declared that blood enough had been shed on the 
Lord's day, and that he would hold service in the after- 
noon, to whicli he invited them all, were increased by 
the pleadings of two frightened women, sweethearts of 
the Austrian officers, whom they saved from fur- 
ther harm by the profuseness of their tears. The 
result of this terrible battle, fought between the na- 
tionalities, on the friendly soil of Elm Park, and of 
which no account has heretofore been written, were 
three Lincoln Greens wounded, one seriously and two 
slightly. Two men of the Lincoln Cavalry received 
severe cuts. I must not forget to record here that this 
battle was fought without a general or reporter. 



CHAPTER XIIT. 



FIRST REAL CAYALRY FIGHT OF THE WAR, WITH OTHER MATTERS. 

On tlie 5tlj of August onr American companies broke 
camp at Elm Park and moYcd to Bellevue garden, on 
the East river, leaving our German friends to recon- 
cile matters witli tlieir Austrian enemies. It was a 
pleasant breezy spot, tliis new camp of ours, overlook- 
ing one of the prettiest scenes on the East river, and 
affording good bathing for the men. And we had kind 
and hospitable neighbors, whose families cheered us 
with their little gifts, and did all in tlieir power to 
make our stay comfortable. These little attentions 
have always a good effect on the conduct of the men, 
since by them they are reminded how mucli they are 
thought of by those wdiom war does not call to the 
field. 

Tlie question began to be frequently asked why were 
we not off to the field, when there w^as so much need 
of us there. The fact Tvas we were waiting for the 
tailor. We had l)een supplied with tents, but had not 
received our clothing. And the tailor was not to be 
hurried, though the fate of the nation depended on his 
efforts. The Government had ordered our uniforms 



110 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

made in New York, and there Lad been a difference 
between the tailor and the Post Quartermaster, tlie 
tailor wanting a few cents more a suit than the Quar- 
termaster was williijo- to pay. Hence the delay. In 
fact, there is no knowing how much our arms have suf- 
fered by these misunderstandings and banterings over 
a few shillings between exacting tailors and unyielding 
quartermasters. 

While we were quietly smoking our pipes at head- 
quarters one morning, news came that the big politician 
had been seen down town in a military cap, and yel- 
low stripes down his breeches. This had a look of 
cavalry in it. Ogle cast a glance at Harkins ; Stearns 
exchanged a sad expression of face with Hidden ; 
Harry turned to Bailey, and shaking his head, said : 
*' If there is any manhood left in the fellow, he won't 
make another attempt to get into this regiment." 

" He will," said the man who brouo-lit the news. 
" He is doing it now. He has got authority from the 
Colonel to raise a company of Germans for this regi- 
ment, and as he won't understand a word they say, 
much happiness may he have with them. And I can 
tell you this, too." continued the man, knowingly, " he 
is raising money from citizens to pay his recruiting 
expenses." 

" Money ! " interrupted one of the company, " why, 
where is the fortune he has been boasting about ?. Like 
Lis common sense, we have not seen the color of it yet." 

The news was indeed true, and cast a feeling of sad- 
ness over the Camp, since it foreshadowed the fact that 
a man was to be forced upon us whose presence in the 



THE STOllY OF A TEOOPER. 117 

reo-iment was sure to keep it in perpetual trouble. 
That a man so ver}^ unacceptable to the Americans, 
and who liad been rejected by them, should liave been 
authorized to raise a company of men wliose language 
he could not speak, showed us too plainly that some 
grave wrong was to be perpetrated. Now, there was 
among t]ie Germans a man of the name of Gustavo 
Otto, a Quixotic sort of person, who had dashed about 
in a gay uniform, big spurs, and a dangling sabre, and 
otherwise assumed the mighty man of war. Otto had 
served in the cavalry in Europe, knew something of 
the tactics, and was, so far as looks went, a soldier. 
But he was inclined to be cruel, and had an excessively 
bad temper, which led him into frequent quarrels with 
his fellow-countrymen. He aspired to the captaincy of 
one of tlie German companies ; but failing to get a 
vote when they were organized, was left outside. In 
truth the men were afraid of him, just as ours were of 
the big politician. These two men now joined fortunes, 
and with the addition of the melancholy man, who still 
wore his black clothes, formed a sort of mutual sym- 
pathy society, for I must here mention that the last 
named gentleman, having failed to get a position in the 
regiment, had taken to writing poetry of a heavy order. 
This trio of forsaken men now held frequent meetings, 
discussed their misfortunes over frothy lager, and were 
joined by the parson, who evinced remarkable sympa- 
thy for them, and would share their cups until his mind 
got into a lofty niood. To tell the truth. Father Ruley 
had a free use of blarney when under the influence of 
his cups, and it was seldom he was not. " Faith, gen- 



118 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tlemen, there never was such injured men as yourselves 
since the world began. Leave the matter to me, and 
I'll have the three of you generals afore the war's 
over," he would say. But if they found sympathy in 
the parson, they were as thoroughly hated by the doc- 
tor, who was a man of courage, and said what lie 
tliought of them to their faces. I verily believe he 
would have found pleasure in making a pill to send 
them all to the devil, and thus end their mischief. He 
was willing to excuse the parson getting a little tipsey 
at times, but he would have him look better after the 
souls of the men, that being the business the country 
paid him for. 

The authority then to raise this new "German com- 
pany," was given to Otto and the big politician ; to the 
iirst,'that he miglit have a company to command ; to 
the second, that he should be eligible as quartermaster 
when the regiment was organized, a position he had 
laid siege to with an energy worthy of a better cause. 
Captain Lord and Lieutenant Pendegrast, two gentle- 
men from Ireland, were also authorized to raise a com- 
pany, and were exerting every energy to that end. 

And here I must leave this stale matter for the pres- 
ent, and request the reader to bear me company into 
the field beyond Washington, where he shall witness 
the first cavalry fight of this war, for Captain Tomp- 
kins' charge into Vienna, dashing as it was, could not 
be called a fight. While we were quietly wondering 
and waiting under the breezy shades of Belle vue Gar- 
den and Elm Park — waiting for the tailor, and won- 
dering wlien we should get orders to proceed to the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 119 

field, Captain W. H. Boyd, with an energy worthy of 
all commendation, had filled up his company in Phila- 
delphia ; was mustered in on the 19th of July ; proceeded 
to Washington on the 22d, and in less than ten days 
from that time was mounted and equipped, and doing 
service in the field, scouting the country beyond Fair- 
fax Seminary. Tliose who expect me to describe a 
battle, in which fierce charges and counter-charges 
were made, where great skill in the use of the sabre 
was displayed, and hand to hand combats were waged 
for the mastery ; or, indeed, where any very clever 
horsemanship was to be seen on either side, will be 
disappointed. I am going to describe a cavalry fight 
just as it was, and just as any sensible man, with the 
slightest knowledge of cavalry, must have known it 
would be, made np, as one side was, of troopers fresh 
from their firesides in Pennsylvania, and to whom war 
was a new business. There were good men in this 
company, men not wanting in courage ; but, like all 
other companies and regiments, it had its share of men 
who are quick to take alarm at the first sign of danger, 
and, what is worse, to so communicate their alarm to 
others as to make its eftect general. Such men as 
these are always seeking to excuse their want of cour- 
age by casting reflections on the competency of their 
commander. It is true, however, that nothing so 
stimulates the courage of soldiers, and especially such 
as are new to the field, as the knowledge that their 
commander is a soldier and competent to take proper 
care of them in a fight. A fool for an officer will be 
sure to make brave men appear like cowards ; and 



120 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

notliiiiQ: is so true as that in the Army of the Potomac 
we have had too many fools and knaves at the head of 
regiments of brave men. 

It was early in August that Captain Boyd, with his 
company of gallant troopers, might liave been seen 
Avinding over tlie hills beyond Fairfax Seminary, leaving 
the Little River turnpike to tlie left, and heading to- 
wards Fairfax Court House. Butler's Big Bethel, and 
Schenck's wonderful display of military science, as 
shown in his charge backward into the enemyis coun- 
try with a locomotive and train filled with soldiers, 
were still fresh in the minds of our men. Masked bat- 
teries and ambuscades were our dread, and Captain 
Boyd very wisely felt his way with great caution. An 
advance guard was out, and flankers were kept con- 
stantly in motion. Every clump of woods ahead was 
regarded as an excellent lurking place for the enemy, now 
made bold by his success at Bull Run, and who had the 
advantage of knowing every foot of the country. These 
clumps of wood were the signal given every few min- 
utes for a halt. This done, men were sent cautiously 
forward to scour the woods, or, in the event of discov- 
ering a force concealed there, to return and report. 
Several of tliese positions, regarded as extremely dan- 
gerous, were passed in safety, the gallant troopers 
breathing freer when the report came that no enemy 
was near. And I am sure there were no braver troop- 
ers to be found than our boys when they heard the ad- 
vance sounded, and were told that the road ahead was 
clear. Nor must I forget to mention here that the gal- 
lant captain heard only with one ear. The other, how- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 1*21 

ever was particularly sharp, and tlie quickness with 
which he lent it to the amusing reports of every negro 
he met in the road was remarkable. If the negro car- 
ried a bundle, and were a fugitive in search of freedom 
and our lines, his appearance was sure to cause a halt. 
In most cases the negro was a prodigy of intelli- 
gence, a perfect index to all rebel secrets, an inti- 
mate acquaintance of Mr. Jefferson Davis, and very 
recently enjoying friendly relations with General Beau- 
regard, who had, while at breakfast one morning, given 
him the exact strength and position of his army. Here 
was a storehouse of valuable knowledge, just what our 
general in command wanted, what the country needed, 
and what the necessities of a free press demanded for 
the entertainment of its readers. The gallant captain 
knowing what a hungry ear the public had for the sto- 
ries of these very reliable colored gentlemen fresh from 
Secessia, would send them as fast as picked up to head- 
quarters. Indeed, he was already becoming famous for 
the amount of this kind of loose wisdom he had secured 
for the benefit of the country. The trouble with this 
person, known subsequently as the " intelligent contra- 
band," was that he knew so much more of the rebel 
army than it was possible for even General Beauregard 
to know, that our generals were astonished rather than 
instructed by the magnitude of what he had to tell. 

If, also, a hapless farmer left his plow and came to 
peer over his gate at the uncommon sight, a halt was 
called, and the farmer made to discover all he knew 
about the country ahead ; how the roads ran, and 
where they intersected ; whether he had seen any of 
6 ^ 



122 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the enemy, in what force they were, and indeed all he 
knew concerning the enemy and his movements. And 
this poor hapless man was made to say much he did 
not want to sa}^, and in his fear give such information 
to-day as miglit appear wrong to-morrow. He must 
save his property, and keep his family from starvation ; 
to do whicii he must be a Union man to-day and a rebel 
to-morrow, just as one force or the other might charge 
down upon his acres. The rebels will to day threaten 
to burn his house down over his head unless he tells 
them all, and in truth more than all, he knows concern^ 
ing our movements. To-morrow some Union officer, 
flushed with the great importance of small power, will 
threaten to burn his house down unless he discloses all 
the information concerning the enemy in his possession. 
The question recurs to him, what is a poor man to do 
with two such friends ? I can affirm that between them 
both his house is almost sure of being burnt down, and 
his family sent to wander homeless, perhaps among un- 
sympathising enemies. One party would not believe 
him when he told tlie truth, the other always suspected 
him of knowing much more than he was willing to tell. 
He might to-morrow discover an enemy in the officer 
he had to-day mistaken for a friend. I have come to 
believe that no greater misfortune can befall a man 
than to live on ground separating the fronts of con- 
tending armies during war. Both are sure to want his 
sympathy, to distrust his sincerity, and neither can give 
him permanent protection — the only thing that will 
make him of any real value to either side. The Gov- 
ernment cannot, or will not, give him power to assert 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 123 

his manhood to-day; to-morrow it may make him a mar- 
tyr to events he had no part in producing. He was 
indeed fortunate if he escaped being made a prisoner, 
and carried off by some young officer, vain of his au- 
thority and in search of promotion. If you would 
know the number of these hapless and now homeless 
beings, you may read it on those tall gaunt and black 
piles by the road-sides of Virginia, writing their tales 
of wantonness in clear and sharp lines against the mid- 
night sky. These black remnants of war are no proof 
that tref'-r.^n once had a,hiding place here. They mark 
alike the spots where good Union men, as well as reb- 
els once had happy homes. 

I have wandered somewhat from my subject to show 
how dangerous it was to act upon information picked 
up in the manner here described, and more especially 
at that time. The Government had great faith in the 
"intelligent contraband," and so had the "friends of 
the party ;" but our generals in the field knew that on 
questions of fact he was somewhat like his rebel mas- 
ter, a very uncertain person. Boyd and his company 
of gallant troopers advanced cautiously, exploring the 
country rod by rod, and mile by mile; halting every 
few minutes to pick up information, after the manner 
described above. They had now reached a piece of 
woods, were advancing through it and approaching a 
spot where the road forked and opened into a clear- 
ing. A halt was suddenly made, the flankers closed 
in quickly, and the advance guard was seen returning 
at rapid speed, and making such signs of " danger 
ahead" as spread general alarm among the men. One 



124 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of the advance guard came up, and reported " a large 
army of the enemy " just ahead and moving down upon 
us. Delivering his report in a hurried and excitable 
manner, the man was about to put spurs to his already 
jaded aniuial, and make the best time he could back to 
the Seminary ; but the company, whicli had been ad- 
vancing by fours, now stood in that position, blocking 
up the road. This, however, only seemed to increase 
liis excitement, which had already began to sliow its 
effect injuriously on a majority of the company. The 
captain hesitated for a minute, as if undecided what 
to do, or what command to give next. Cavalry move- 
ments require quick thought and quick action. Two 
more of the advance guard were seen returning, and 
increasing their speed as they advanced. Seeing the 
captain hesitate, some of the men mistook-it for defi- 
ciency of knowledge in the tactics. Now there was 
an old cavalryman in the company, and it was charged 
upon him that he gave the command : '' By fours, left 
about, wheel— forward ! " It matters not who gave 
the command. It is enough to know that the company 
got about in some confusion, and away it went over 
the road towards camp, some trotting, some galloping, 
others having enough to do to keep themselves in the 
saddle and their horses in the road. It flashed sud- 
denly on the mind of the gallant captain, who was not 
wanting in courage, that liis men were running away 
before they had seen the enemy, or even tested the 
metal of his sabres. And it was punishment enough 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 125 

that he liad to follow them in retreat, instead of leading 
them against the enemy in a good fight. 

One of the two advance guards I have described as 
seen returning, rode up to him and, luckily for the 
honor of our arms, on the side he was sharp of hearing 
on. " Captain," said the man, " the enemy is not in 
large force. It is a troop of cavalry, not stronger 
than we are, if as strong. They are halted. You 

know is short of sight. There is cattle grazing 

near them, and these he mistook for cavalry in re- 
serve." Catching what the man said with remarkable 
quickness, Boyd called his son, a fine young man of 
twenty, and bidding him follow, dashed after his 
troopers, and gaining the head of the now disordered 
column, drew his pistol, and placing himself in an atti- 
tude of resistance, commanded them to halt or he 
would shoot the first man who disobeyed orders. 
Seeing their captain so determined, they halted and 
formed in order, when he addressed them, appealing to 
their honor as men, to their courage as soldiers. Point- 
ing to his son, lie told them he was willing to sacrifice his 
own life and that of his son, rather than have it said 
they were cowards. He had more to lose than they 
had, but if they would stand by him, and go back and 
meet tlie enemy, he would stand by them. His words 
fell like electricity on tlie men's feelings. Courage 
now took the place of fear. They cheered and ex- 
pressed their anxiety to be led on to the fight. Wheel- 
ing by fours they were soon faced about and proceeding 
back at a brisk trot. They soon met the enemy in the 
edge of an open ground, when he prepared for action, 



126 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

liis force being about equal to ours. The captain 
formed his men in line, advanced until he got within car- 
bine range, and then made a sudden dash upon the enemy, 
the men discharging their pieces as they closed up, and 
emptying two saddles. The suddenness and impetu- 
osity of the dash surprised the enemy, for lie broke in 
confusion and scampered down the road, our men 
cheering and pursuing. They soon came to where the 
road forked, and here the enemy divided, a few of his 
troopers taking one road, and the larger number the 
other. Our force also divided, the larger number fol- 
lowing the smaller of the enemy on one side, and the 
smaller the larger on the other. In this way they fol- 
lowed tlie enemy, at times discliarging their pieces, 
until it became evident that he was close upon his 
infantry reserves. The recall was now sounded, the 
men fell back in good order, and returned to camp^ 
victorious, but with the loss of one man killed. The 
effect of tins little fight was never lost on the men. It 
taught them the true value of courage, and also what 
advantages were to be gained by these sudden and 
impetuous charges on the enemy. After this they were 
always quick to charge whenever they met the enemy ; 
and no company of cavalry did better service, or 
performed its duty more satisfactorily during the mem- 
orable seven days' battles before Richmond. 

I have frequently noticed that the impression pro- 
duced on men when first led into a fight, either through 
defeat or victory, had much to do in shaping their con- 
duct during a campaign. Defeated at first, it was a 
difficult matter to restore their courage ; and v>^hen 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 127 

brouglit a second time to face tlie enemy, tliey did it 
with feelings chained to tiie fear of a repulse. If vic- 
torious at first, it gave them a name that acted with 
electric effect on their future conduct. 



STORY OF A TROOPER. 



BOOIEC II- 



CHAPTER XIY. 



niGII OFFICIALS AND CONFUSION. 

Thanks to our tailor, who had for several weeks 
aspired to rule our destinies, he had fulfilled his con- 
tract, and we were in uniform. Still, with the excep- 
tion of one company, whose exploits I have described 
in a foregoing chapter, we were yet in New York, 
waiting for somebody, for something, nobody knew 
v.diat. We wondered why we were not ordered to the 
field ; the Secretary of War wondered why we did not 
come on ; and an impatient public began again to 
clamor for another forward movement to Richmond. 
The first onward movement had not shaken the enthu- 
siast's belief that to take Richmond all that was neces- 
sary was to move on. Mud and opposing armies formed 
no part of his reasoning. 

Our German officers, who had fared sumptuously 
every day, and incurred numerous and heavy bills for 
subsistim^ themselves and their men before musterinir 
in, declared their men should not move an inch until 
their accounts were settled. In looks, our German 
friends were sturdy soldiers enough ; but fhey were 
exceedingly exacting, and a little too much given to 

13 



132 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

indulge their vanity with the belief tliat no battle 
could be fought with success until they took the field. 
It was no more than right that Von Blitzen and Hans 
Stiennieg, who had furnished piles of bread and Bo- 
logna sausage, with sundry kegs of lager thrown in, 
should be paid. Both affected to be poor men now, 
though well enough off in their own dear Germany. 
We were all much concerned about these men, but how 
or from what source we were to get the money to dis- 
charge their bills was a question none of us had yet 
been able to solve. I was sent to Washington in pur- 
suit of knowledge, for on many things we had been 
working in the dark. A belief prevailed among us 
that the President might order these bills paid out of 
the secret service fund. 

It was the 19th of August, 18^1, when I arrived in 
Washington. I had letters to Mr. Seward and the 
President. I called on Mr. Seward first. Cold as an 
iceberg just out of the North Sea, he lighted his segar 
and smoked away, like a man without a care, and in- 
tent on showing how indifferent ho could be to the 
great events that were developing themselves all around 
him, and giving a new and strange cliaracter to our 
history. He read the letter I handed him, and having 
written the following on its back, returned it : " Will 
General Meigs please look into this. William II. Sew- 
ard. I have read this.'' 

There was no more to be done with Mr. Seward, so 
I left him to his segar, and proceeded to the White 
House. The President expressed a deep interest in the 
matter, saw at once what was wanted, and acted 



'JIIE STORY OF A TROOPER. 133 

promptly. Expressing bis surprise at the delay that 
had boon caused in getting the regiment forward, he 
wrote as follows to the Secretary of War : 

"Executive Mansion, 

''August 19th, 1861. 
" Will the Secretary of War see Mr. Adams, and 
take measures to have this regiment come forward at 
once. 

''(Signed,) A. LINCOLN.'^ 

The Secretary could and did issue an order to bring 
the regiment to Washington ; but his genius was at 
fault as to how we were to get funds to satisfy the de- 
mands of our German friends. He said we must jump 
over that difficulty in some way ; how, lie did not ex- 
actly see. He hinted at the Union Defence Committee; 
at Colonel Cummings, of the World, a newspaper with 
pious tendencies ; and that great medium of all good 
intentions, Thurlow Weed, Esq. Either of these 
might point us to the road out of our difficulties. I 
discovered in this that Secretary Cameron was a joker 
as well as a patriot, and was anxious to get rid of me 
by this clover display of his genius. He might, with 
pqual propriety, have suggested my going to Richmond 
to raise funds for a monument to the political memory 
of James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania. Or, what would 
liave been equally profitable, to seek in New Jersey 
money enougli to christianize the Jews. Finally he 
suggested a conference on the subject with General 
Meigs. A melancholy looking sutler came in and oc- 



134 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

cnpicd the Secretary's attention just then, so I retired 
and went in pursuit of the Quartermaster General. 
General Meigs was quick to see the necessity that de- 
manded payment of these bills, and promptly wrote : 
" Let him present bills for supplies furnished, certified 
by Quartermaster and Colonel, and I think I can ar- 
range to pay them. Signed, M. 0. Meigs." 

This was so far satisfactory. The organization of 
this regiment, let me say here, presents a record of 
economy that cannot be surpassed by any regiment 
raised for the war ; and the credit of this is due to the 
four energetic young men (afterwards captains of com- 
panies) who did the recruiting. "JVe were three months 
organizing the regiment, and yet eight thousand dol- 
lars would have covered all the just bills to be paid by 
the Government for recruiting, subsisting, rent of quar- 
ters, and, indeed, all such expenses as are necessary to 
the organization of a regiment; and more than two 
thirds of this amount was created by our friends of the 
four German companies. 

It will indeed seem strange to the intelligent reader 
that Congress, having at its extra session passed an 
act appropriating twenty million dollars for the pay- 
ment of just such bills as were here presented, so few 
of the heads of Departments should have any distinct 
knowledge of its provisions. Business had accumu- 
lated with great rapidity in the Departments, and there 
was a great lack of system and proper business knowl- 
edge everyvWiere apparent. There was confusion in 
the War Department, confusion doubly confused in the 
Adjutant General's Ofiice, confusion everywhere. If 



THE STORY OF A TROOPEU. 135 

the Pa'csidcnt or General McClellan advanced your 
business a few steps, some new and airy clerk of some 
Department was sure to exert bis genius in putting it 
back. You needed the patience of Job to get through 
the dead-wood of the Departments. What the Quar- 
termaster General said was his business, the heav}^- 
lieaded Adjutant General was sure to say was none of 
hi<5 business. Clerks had their conceits to air, and very 
many of them went about their business as if they were 
conferring a favor on the Government by doing it. 
This was particularly the case with civilians just ap- 
pointed. They were the very dead-wood of the De- 
partments. If your business brought you in contact 
with an officer of the regular army you were, as a rule, 
treated with courtesy, and got what you wanted done 
promptly and properly. Much of the delay caused in 
organizing and equipping the army after the first battle 
of Bull Run may be traced to the incompetency of regi- 
mental officers, and the unwillingness of clerks in the 
Departments to do their duty. 

I hastened back to New York with General Meigs's 
instructions, and these seemed to appease the military 
dignity of our German friends, who promised to be 
ready to move when the order came. Their impor- 
tuning creditors wore brighter faces, quaffed large 
quantities of lager, and set to work getting their bills 
certified and sent to me for collection and settlement. 

And here I must relate a somewhat amusing incident 
that occurred on the mustering-in of our last German 
company. Having got the requisite number of Teu- 
tons, Gustave Otto was elected Captain without a 



130 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

murmuj . When, however, the big politician presented 
liimself a candidate for First Lieutenant, there was a 
decided commotion. " Nine, nine, nine," and other 
expressions of opposition were heard all through the 
company. The captain lost control of his men, and 
they gathered together in knots, and talked with much 
earnestness in their own tongue against what they 
regarded an imposition. The big politician stood like 
one confounded by some new and remarkable discovery. 
Becoming very puffy he fell back on his dignity, and 
declared he could not understand this opposition. In 
truth he had fancied himself very popular with these 
Germans, to gain whose favor he had furnished numer- 
ous kegs of lager. He was sure, too, they would be 
quick to embrace the honor of being led against the 
enemy by a man of such great political popularity, 
whom no great man in the country would pass without 
a bow ; and more than that, he had once shaken the 
hand of a President. All this he desired the Captain 
to tell them, in a tongue they could understand; but the 
effect was rather to increase their opposition, for they 
cried, or shouted, " Nine, nine, nine,'^ more vehemently 
than ever, and also replied to the Captain with jeers, 
the purport of which there was no misunderstanding. 
Now, there was in this company an honest German, 
whom I shall call Earnst Von Hubner. Earnst was a 
respectable man, and every inch a soldier. He had 
served for several years in the Prussian cavalry, knew 
his business, and had letters of recommendation no man 
could doubt. Prompted by motives of patriotism, he 
had come to the country at the beginning of the war, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 137 

to fight for our cause and gain promotion. Since join- 
ing the company he had given his comrades many proofs 
that he was a srood man and a brave soldier. In this 
way he had endeared himself to them ; and they, in 
return, had resolved that he should be their First Lieu- 
tenant. He could also speak their language and make 
himself understood when they got into a fight with the 
enemy. Earnst felt proud of these manifestations in 
his favor, and took advantage of them. He declared 
there was neither right nor justice in forcing upon the 
company a man rejected by his own countrymen, who 
could not understand a word of their language, and 
knew nothing about cavalry. By not knowing his 
business he might get them all killed the first time they 
met the enemy. Three cheers were here given for 
Earnst, and so great was tho confusion that followed, 
that it began to look as if there was to be a dead-lock 
in the company, and the mustering officer would have 
to go back without finishing his job. 

" Say to tliem, sir," said the big politician, addressing 
the Captain, "that I am tlieir particular friend. T 
don't lack courage, I don't. I will show them I don't 
when we meet the enemy !" Here he frisked his fingers 
through his bushy hair, and grew ponderous. "Tell 
them I am ready to give any man satisfaction who says 
I'm a coward. Don't forget to put that in." He 
touched the Captain significantly on the shoulder, " You 
see I cannot understand a word they say, yet it seenis 
to me, the more I tell them I am tiieir friend, the more 
they take me for their enemy. If it is more lager they 
want, they shall have five kegs ; and, if tliat is not 
7- 



138 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

enough, ten ! In addition to this, each man shall have 
a dollar as soon as I have proof that he has given me 
his vote/' 

The Captain smiled, and communicated what had 
been requested to his men. This so increased their 
excitement that they would have laid violent hands on 
the big politician, and indeed driven him from the field, 
but for the appearance of our Colonel, who was a great 
peacemaker, and enjoined them to listen for a few min- 
utes to what he had to say. " Ya, ya, ya !" echoed 
along the ranks. The men came to order, and listened 
attentively, while the Colonel addressed them, with the 
Captain for his interpreter. He assured them that the 
gentleman who offered himself for a position in their 
company was a man of profound wisdom, (here the big 
politician raised his cap and bowed;) and although, like 
himself, he could n(5t speak their language, he was in 
every way worthy of their favors. The gentleman only 
wanted this position as a means to securing a higher 
one, which he was sure of getting as soon as the regi- 
ment reached Washington. And he pledged his own 
honor that, if they honored the gentleman with this 
position, he would resign it in less than three weeks, 
when it would again be open to the man of their choice. 
Some cheered for the Colonel, others shook their heads, 
others declared they could not understand what they 
were required to do in this strange and irregular man- 
ner. A vote, however, was taken, and the big poli- 
tician declared elected First Lieutenant. For this mark 
of high favor the Colonel thanked them, and the big 
politician made them a speech. He was sure they never 



THE STORf OF A TIIOOPER. 139 

would be sorry for what tliey had done ; and, although 
he should not remain long with them, he would never 
forgot that it was through their kindness that he had 
gained a position in the regiment. The men had all 
at once become exceedingly good-natured; and, al- 
though they could not understand a word the speaker 
was saying, they laughed heartily and went to their 
tents and their rations. 

Our German battalion was now full, with Captains 
Von Schickfuss, Hourand, Stosch, and Otto, four as fine 
looking ofiBcers as were to be found in this or any otfier 
army, in command. 



CHAPTER XV. 



OFF FOR THE FIELD. 

The 25th of August was a bright and sunny day. 
From early morning there had been great bustle and 
confusion in camp, and by ten o'clock we were moving 
into Fourteenth street, to form in line, previous to 
embarking, our right resting on Union Square. The 
American companies were on the ground first. The 
men were afoot, the oiLcers mounted. Then our Ger- 
man friends joined us, with an extraordinary flour isli 
of trumpets, making quiet people along the road stare 
and wonder. Now began the business of forming a 
line. Some wanted the German battalion on the left^ 
others wanted it in the center. The German battalion 
was inclined to suit itself, and took position on the 
right. The melancholy man had been appointed Adju- 
tant, in consideration of his disappointment. His boots 
came nearly up to his waist; his spurs were of extra- 
ordinary length, and the horse he rode was remarkable 
for much bone and little flesh. He had brought his 
trusty sabre with liim; and, thus mounted, he presented 
a figure few could have contemplated with serious face. 
This business of forming a regimental line was new to 

140 



THE STOIIY OF A TROOPER. 141 

the Adjutant, who was not a little confused, and went 
clattering and tilting up and down the line, novf shout- 
ing and flourishing his saber, now reining in his horse 
suddenly and bringing the poor animal to his haunches, 
now stopping to inquire of some more experienced 
officer what he should do next. What one told him 
was right, another told him was w^rong. One cursed 
him for not doing what another cursed him for doing, 
till at length the poor man became so confused as not 
to know what he was doing; and his horse, that had 
knocked down a dozen or so of the bystanders, was 
nearly exhausted. Then the big politician, affecting 
to assist the discomfited Adjutant, went dancing over 
the ground with his horse — now being up on tlie right 
of the line, now on the left, and returning the saluta- 
tions of ladies, who waved their handkerchiefs from 
adjacent windows. He had friends, he said, in all tliose 
houses, and when the ladies waved their handkerchiefs 
he knew they were friends of his, and it would be very 
unkind of any military gentleman not to return their 
salute. 

The poor Adjutant had exhausted his wits and his 
knowledge of the tactics, and still there was disorder 
in the ranks. He could not get the regiment into line 
properly, and began cursing the big politician for his 
interference. The little bugler now stepped out on tlie 
left, and blew numerous shrill blasts on his horn, by 
whose order or for what purpose not one of us kncv/. 
This brought out the fat Dutch bugler on the right, 
who returned the compliment by sounding an officer's 
assembly call. A fierce-looking, fair-haired, and very 



142 THE STORY OF A TROOPEE. 

lean Dutch bugler, now appeared in the center, and 
raisinor his horn lolew a number of sounds, more loud 
and discordant than either of the others. This brought 
the German officers galloping and shouting to the front, 
where they joined the Americans, and formed opposite 
the center. A flourish of trumpets by the three buglers, 
and the Adjutant turned, saluted the Colonel, and re- 
ported the regiment in line. The band then struck up 
and played a march, ladies waved their handkerchiefs 
and pressed forward, and the crowd filled up tlie space 
necessary for maneuvering the regiment. Then we had 
an oratorical entertainment of rare quality. A few 
kind friends had bought a horse for the Colonel; and 
it would not do to present him without a speech ; and 
Richard Busteed, Esq., better known as General Bus- 
teed, Governor of Yorktown, &c., &c., was called on to 
do us this high honor. The General was on his highest 
horse that day, could build up a new kingdom or kill a 
rebel, fight a dozen battles and win as many victories, 
in one sentence. Being a man of uncommon ingenuity, 
he spoke at the horse a;id the Colonel, then at the coun- 
try and the horse, for nearly an hour, and got the 
patriotism so confoundedly sandwiched in with the bun- 
combe, that it was impossible to tell which had the 
better part. In the course of his epeech the speaker 
alluded to the gods and the devils, to Mars and Ap- 
pollo, to glorious patriots and rebels with devilish inten- 
tions, to fields convulsed with the slain and red with 
glory, and to the terrible part this regiment would 
liave to play in preserving the life of the nation. In 
short, according to the speaker, some one connected 



THE stohy of a trooper. 



143 



with tlie regiment was to do a great deal of fighting, 
and kill a great many of the enemy, but whether it Avas 
the horse or the Colonel was not quite clear. But the 
men repaid the speaker with a great many cheers, and 
when he was done the Colonel mounted the horse, and 
thanking his friends for their valuable present, gave 
us a long speech, in which the state of the nation was 
strangely mixed up with the exploits to be performed 
by the Lincoln Cavalry. 

It was high noon when the Colonel ended his speech; 
and now the time for parting was come. Husbands 
kissed their wives, caressed their children as the part- 
ing tear wrote their heart's tale, and " God bless and 
protect you," came trembling from their lips. Many a 
young lover kissed liis sweetheart slyly, shook her hand 
warmly, and lisped that good-bye in which love speaks 
to love, and future hopes and joys brighten even in the 
hour of darkness. , It was indeed the heart's day of 
trial to many a young man and woman; and tears were 
writing honest tales of love down their cheeks. There, 
weeping, was our airy little June flower, the gentle 
breeze playing with her golden locks. The bright 
smiling face that had so often shed its pleasing radiance 
over our camp was now turned to take a last look at 
him on whom all the affections of her heart were fixed. 
And truly she had fixed her heart upon one worthy of 
her, for he was a young man of handsome figure, and 
God had blessed him with a noble nature. And there 
were other fair friends whose hearts were with us in 
the war, and who had come to share with us such boun- 
ties as heaven had blessed tbem with; and these were 



144 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

to cheer the soldier on his journey. And while their 
hands brought us good cheer, their lips breathed pray- 
ers that a merciful God would watch over and protect 
us in the day of conflict. Among these messengers of 
mercy was tlie good Mrs. Kirkland, who went about 
among the men distributing havelocks and other little 
things necessary to their comfort. Nor must I forget 
to mention the diminutive little Dutch woman, who had 
found the idol of her heart in Bob, the light-horseman. 
She had come to bid him a last good-bye, and her sor- 
row seemed uncontrollable. Indeed her sorrow had so 
much affected Bob that he mounted his horse with a 
tear in his eye and a heavy heart. 

The little bugler and the fat Dutch bugler now 
sounded their horns. The officers took their places, 
the order was given, the band struck up, the regiment 
wheeled by fours, and we were soon marching down 
Broadway amidst the waving of handkerchiefs and 
cheers of the assembled. Scarcely had we reached 
Canal street, however, when an accident occurred that 
might have proved very serious in its results. The 
horse on which Bob, the light-horseman, was mounted, 
slipped and fell to the pavement, and his rider came 
heavily upon the stones and rolled for some yards, like 
a huge ball of India rubber. The bystanders ran in 
great alarm, saying the poor man must either be killed 
or seriously hurt. The fat Dutch bugler fell out and 
sounded a halt, but the regiment continued on. Four 
men raised the dismounted trooper to his feet, when it 
turned out tliat he was not even hurt, for he began 
making merry at his misfortune, as his* sorrowful look- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 145 

iiig animal shook the dirt from its sides. The question 
now was, how to get the man upon the animal's back 
again, for so short were his legs, and so long his body, 
that it required some skill to get him safe into the 
saddle. One suggested a barrel, another the tail of a 
cart, from which the gentleman might mount his horse 
with ease. Through the kindly offices of four sturdy 
bystanders, however, he was got safe into the saddle 
again, and went off at a rapid pace in pursuit of the 
regiment, the bugler following as fast as his legs would 
carry him, and sounding a call every few minutes for 
the crowd to make way. 

Our embarkation on board one of the Camden and 
Amboy's steamers was conducted with remarkable good 
order, and at five o'clock we were steaming down the 
harbor on our way to Washington. It was ten o'clock 
on tlie night of the 27t]i, wlien we reached that city, 
thanks to a line that boasts of possessing extraordinary 
and adequate facilities for promoting the Government's 
interests. The niglit was dark and dreary, rain fell 
steadily, the great capital was lighted up brilliantly, 
and, seen through the darkness, had a bewitching ap- 
pearance. Little or no provision had been made to 
receive troops at tlie depot, and tlie men wore com- 
pelled to seek shelter for the night as best they could. 
On the following day an order came for us to encamp 
on Seventh street, about a mile and a half from tlie city, 
and near tlie Park Hotel. We moved at once, and 
began arranging camp on a piece of stumpy land called 
Moore's farm. No more unlit location could liave been 
selected, for a portion of the ground was low and 



14G THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

swampy, the. road leading from Seventh street to it 
almost impassable, and the first heavy rain that fell 
vraslied our German battalion clean out of their tents, 
and brought curses without number on the heads of 
those who had selected such -a location. 

There was encamped near by us the First Kentucky 
cavalry, a regiment raised in Pennsylvania by a discon- 
solate looking man of the name of Young, who was 
daily giving liis sorry looking troopers their first lesson 
in the art of horsemanship. Why Kentucky should be 
punished by having her name used by this regiment, 
even Colonel Young could not explain. The Colonel 
had his wife with him, and being a courageous woman 
and a clever rider, she generally took a position at the 
head of the column. Indeed it came to be said that 
she was a better soldier than the Colonel, since she had 
dash and knew something of the drill. 

I must liere say that I have noticed in too many of 
our officers a weakness for taking their wives and fam- 
ilies to the war with them. I can imagine no greater 
incumbrance, or indeed anything that can work so much 
injury to the service. Some of our Generals have not 
been free from this weakness; and whether from an 
excess of patriotism, or a desire to make the service 
wear a domestic appearance, tlie reader must judge, 
when I say I have known several of tJiem fill up their 
stalls with their needy relatives. Probably this is on 
the principle that it is good philosophy to make the 
Government take care of men who never could or did 
take care of themselves. Ofiicers of tijc rebel army 
take a different view of their military duties, and verv 



TUB STOllY OF A TllOOFER. 147 

wisely let tlieir families remain at Lome. But enough 
of this for the present. 

The man Moore, whose little farm we occupied, and 
who saw witli a sorrowful heart his fences disappearing 
to make camp fires, was a rustic of extreme good na- 
ture, and bestirred himself to make a little money by 
providing a mess for our officers. He had an old negro 
or two, and these were enough to incline his sympathies 
to the South. His mind, too, was fettered with that 
terrible incumbrance, that it was very hard to disturb 
the relations of an institution so firmly fixed in the 
affections of the soutliern people. But he had no ob- 
jection to being loyal wlien assured that it would ulti- 
inately be profitable for him to be so. His little rickety 
house bore evidence of dectiy and want of care; but he 
was contented, he said, and had little ambition for the 
luxuries of life. His table was spread with plain fare, 
and several of our officers messed at it, being cour- 
teously and kindly served by his two buxom daugliters. 
The big politician occupied his comfortable little parlor 
for a sleeping room, for he had a terrible aversion to 
canvas, and never allowed it to shelter him when there 
was a house within a mile of camp. There was also, 
within a short distance of camp, several families who 
treated us with great kindness, and extended their 
hospitalities to such of our officers as were disposed to 
cultivate friendly relations with tliem. 

On the 3d of September we were joined by a company 
of Michigan men, raised at Grand Rapids, in that State, 
and commanded by Captain Norton, with Lieutenants 
(jranger and Martindale. These men were the giants 



148 THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 

of the regiment, some of them standing more than six 
feet, and of large muscular development. You could 
not have selected better representatives of the gener- 
ally accepted idea of the western man. Michigan, be 
it said to her credit, has sent some of the very best 
troops into the service of the Government, and in no 
instance have they disgraced their State." But experi- 
ence proved that very many of these men were too 
heavy for cavalrymen, and in addition to breaking down 
their horses, were less able to withstand the exposures 
and hardships of camp life than many of the delicate 
looking young men who had been brought up in luxury 
in New York. 

On the loth of September our last company raised 
in New York (M,) by Captain Lord and Lieutenant 
Pendergrast joined us, and completed the regiment. 
We now began to draw our horses and equipments. 
But owing to tlie number of regiments whose requisi- 
tions had to be filled, and a want of proper system in 
the Departments, as well as the unwillingness of regi- 
mental officers to attend to their duties, the process of 
mounting and equipping went on slowly. At one time 
we could get liorses but no equipments; at another, 
equipments but no horses. Then sabres were not to be 
had, although it appeared as if everybody was offering 
to sell the Government sabres. Few, indeed, were the 
pistols to be had; and it was months after before we 
could get a carbine. Still, we were considered by an 
impatient public, ready to take the field and run a tilt 
with tlie well-armed enemy as soon as we were mounted. 
But after you have armed, equipped, and mounted a 



THE STORY OF A TllOOPEH. 149 

man, something more is necessary to make liim a good 
trooper. That something is drill and discipline; and 
these cannot be properly attained in a month or a year 
unless the officers are men of superior ability, and give 
their whole attention to their duties. 

The horses we were getting were of the very worst 
description, and not one in six of them fit for the cav- 
alry service. They were of bad stock, many of them 
blemished beyond cure, and of an age that showed tliat 
they should have long since been sent to die in a differ- 
ent and less hazardous service. The Government, it 
was true, did not pay a very liigh price for these ani- 
mals; and this fact was used as a plea by those who 
needed a shelter for their frauds. Many of these horses 
had evidently been nursed into tolerably good condi- 
tion externally; but they would sliow their defects, and 
break down under the least hardship or exposure. In- 
deed it was clear enough that our honest friends from 
Pennsylvania had got rid of their aged and infirm 
animals, that a good natured Government might have 
the honor of paying for their death and burial. 1 have 
said Pennsylvania, for if you inquired at the corral you 
were told that these horses all came from that State. 
It was very kind of Mr. Cameron to entertain the opin- 
ion, which he did at that time, that it was not necessary 
to purchase mules and horses in any otlier State. His 
friends acknowledged him to be a better judge of mnles 
than men; but even this should not have found so high- 
minded a gentleman turning tlic environs of Washing- 
ton into a graveyard for the decayed horseflesh of his 
native State. I liave heard mnlii.'ious persons charge 



150 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

this and that, as malicious persons always will, to his 
noble generosity, to his domestic habits, and to his 
well-known resolution never to forget home and friends* 
But I am sure the purity of his patriotism is a sufficient 
shield against any such charges. Indeed, it seems to 
me that Mr. Cameron deserves credit for affording his 
State so excellent an opportunity for ridding herself 
of her old, and introducing a now and better breed of 
horses. 

A friend who has read some portions of the manu- 
script of this work, says he found in it some things not 
recorded in the Rebellion Record. That is just what 
I intended there should be. I intend to deal only with 
things that come under my own observation. 

Up to this time the field and staff of our regiment 
had remained unorganized. Few of us could, under- 
stand the reason for this. Want of decision somewhere 
was causing great delay and confusion. The big poli- 
tician seemed to be the dead-wood in every one's way. 
He had been laying siege to the position of quarter- 
master, and had at least four score letters, all setting 
forth his many virtues, as well as fitness for the place, 
and explaining what the Government would save by- 
appointing a man of such rare experience. These were 
the letters of politicians, and with them the applicant 
was besieging the Quartermaster General, morning and 
night. It is known that during this war the move- 
ments of armies have been delayed, plans deranged, and 
the honor of our arms endangered, because it was not 
decided what officer should have command. It was so 
with us. The organization of the regiment could not 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 151 

go on until it were ascertained whether this one man 
had secured the position lie had set his heart on. He 
failed, however, to secure the appointment, and there 
was great rejoicing in camp when it was known that 
Baily, the regiment's choice, had been appointed to the 
place. There were times when it looked as if the regi- 
ment was to be turned into a political machine for the 
benefit of two or three persons, rather than serve as an 
instrument in putting down the rebellion. 

General Stoneman was Chief of Cavalry at this time^ 
and, annoyed at the delay that had been caused, he sent 
a peremptory order to organize the regiment and get 
it into working shape. And this was the signal for as 
great an excitement in our camp as if a shell from the 
enemy's battery had exploded in it. Captain Frederick 
Yon Schickfuss, than whom the service had not a better 
officer, was appointed Lieutenant Colonel. Ogle was 
nominated for Major of the first battalion, and Captain 
Hourand (a German) for the second. No objection 
was made to these appointments. Indeed, they were 
good and proper. But, to the surprise of every one, 
the name of the big politician was added, fur Major of 
the third. This was a new and novel way of making 
a Major, of raising over the heads of officers of higher 
rank, and forcing upon the regiment, a man in every 
way unfitted for the position, and who never could be 
got to learn or attend to the duties of a soldier, and 
whose appearance in the regiment, as experience proved, 
was fatal to good order and discipline. Against this 
outrage a strong protest was drawn up by the officers, 
with Major Ogle at their head. 



152 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

The officers gathered into Ogle's tent, to hear him 
read the protest, in which the big politician was de- 
scribed as an incubus, a man much given to mischief, 
much wanting in common sense, and not to be trusted 
in an enemy's country, where the lives of loyal and 
brave men would be more exposed by traitors in our 
own ranks than enemies in arms on our front. Before 
sending this to the Colonel, tlie big politician was 
invited into the tent, and came, smiling and brushing 
his hair, as if he expected to be the recipient of a com- 
pliment. 

" Lieutenant," said Ogle, " we have sent for you, on 
business not of the most agreeable kind — " 

" It doesn't matter," interrupted the politician, " I 
am accustomed to kicks, and never take them as unkind 
when I know a man's a particular friend." 

" You have resolved," continued Ogle, " to honor 
this regiment with your presence; and believing that 
you are neither fit for a soldier nor an honest man — 
that you can do the service much harm and no good; 
that this regiment would be better without you, we 
have subscribed to this protest." Here he read, in a 
loud voice and with clear emphasis, what I have before 
stated. The politician shook his head, listened, and 
trembled in his boots. 

" I'd have you know that it is no compliment to a 
man," said the politician, " to set him down for a fool; 
and no one said I was not an honest man when I had 
the honor of holding a position in the New York Cus- 
tom House " 

"A night watcliraan, I suppose," interrupted Ogle. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 153 

" Nothing less than a full inspector, if you please," 
he continued, making a profound bow, and assuming an 
injured air. " You must know that I have come to the 
war, not so much to fight as to make peace between the 
contending parties. As for your opposition to me, this 
I can tell you, I do not mean to stay but a week or two 
in the regiment. As to the position of Major, it will 
only serve me until I am made a General, which I will 
soon show you I have friends enough to do. Why, I 
have great respect for my enemies, and never speak ill 
of them." Here he made another profound bow, and 
considering that he had gained a triumph, withdrew 
and went in pursuit of the little bugler, whom he soon 
had armed with a long paper and going about the camp 
in search of signatures. This paper set forth that the 
big politician, who hereafter will be known asJVIajor 
Yon Flopp, was an highly respectable and honest man, 
as well as a soldier of much experience, and in every 
way worthy of a majority. Several signed this for the 
sake of merriment; others added their preference for 
the little bugler, and wrote, much to tlie annoyance of 
Von Flopp, that they considered him a person of great 
military experience, and in every way worthy of the 
high position. To be put on a footing with the little 
bugler so disturbed Yon Flopp's mind that he sent for 
the Chaplin to advise with him as to what he should 
do to resent so grave an insult. Now, the Chaplain 
was a man of a fighting turn, and in na way inclined 
to have his honor damaged by an insult. It was no 
crime to fight, he argued, provided a man went into it 
to resent aii insult offered to his dignity. Yon Flopp 
8 



154 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

always agreed with what the Chaplain said, even to the 
number of glasses a man could drink without loosing 
his wits or ceasing to be a gentleman. " Being a man 
of courage," said the Chaplain, " and what is more, a 
gentleman, you must demand satisfaction of these fel- 
lows. If you do not, there is an end to your peace of 
mind." 

" In that I agree with you," replied Flopp. ^'And 
that I have courage enough you shall see when we get 
into battle. But tell me, your reverence, is it not a 
waste of courage to call all these fellows out, and fight 
them one at a time ? That's what I should have to do, 
you see, for they are all my enemies. Then again I am 
told it is not military etiquette to fight a man who is 
not your equal in rank." Here the Chaplain inter- 
rupted him. *'A military man may take off his coat 
and ask liis opponent to do the same, and then the little 
matter of rank is out of the way." 

'' Your reverence is riglit," continued the Major, 
warmly; '' I didn't tliink tliose men were on an equal 
when their coats were off. But, your reverence, does 
a man serve his country who throws away his life in a 
duel ?" 

" When courage is in the scale, gentlemen never stop 
to philosopliize. There is no peace for you unless you 
fight," responded the Cliaplain, turning to his cups. 

The Major paused for a minute, and was evidently 
not inclined to regard the Cliaplain's consolation with 
favor. 

" I am not the man to hesitate when my honor is on 
trial. But a man who looks to the future for his re- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 155 

wards never sacrifices his life in trifles. And I was 
turning it over in my mind that if by chance T should 
be killed by one of these fellows — having to fight the 
wliole of them — there would be an end to my being 
made a General " 

"I see 3^ou were not born in Ireland," interrupted 
the Chaplain, reproachingly. "An ofiicer born in Ire- 
land would first take care of his honor and think of 
the General afterwards." And the Chaplain raised his 
glass and looked through it, squintingly,atyon Flopp. 
"It is the quality of your pluck, sir, that these fellows 
must see, and see quickly," he concluded, draining his 
glass. 

Von Flopp shook his head, and began to turn pale. 
" I don't wisli to ofTend your reverence, who has so 
often shown us that you are a man of courage. But I 
have read that a man's courage depends on the state of 
his stomacli. If his stomach be disordered, so is his 
courage. The same with liis lienor. A coward may 
call a brave man a coward. That does not make him 
one. To tell you the truth, what gads me most is not 
that they should doubt my courage, but that they should 
call me a simpleton. If I knew the fellow who put 
that in the protest I would demand satisfactian of 
him " 

" I'll give you the name, sir; you shall not pine long 
for that," interrupted the Chaplain, raising the bottle 
in his unsteady hand, and letting the whisky he sup- 
posed was filling his glass fall on the table. *' Write 
your challenge, choose your friend and a doctor, and 



156 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

let the affair come off at once. But let it not be said 
I had a hand in it." 

Von FIopp was quick to understand the meaning of 
this caution, and as quick to take advantage of it. 
" Then I am sure your reverence will do me the honor 
to carry my challenge, and tliis fellow shall soon smart 
for calling me a simpleton." 

The Chaplain set his glass on the table and raised 
his hands while his face expressed surprise and astonish- 
ment. " May the Apostles save me !" he exclaimed. 
"A man of my profession carrying a challenge. Well, 
well! It is for me to save the souls of the regiment. 
My good temper never lets me get angry; but I can 
tell you Major, your invitation conveys an insult to a 
minister in good standing." The good Chaplain, who 
was a man of rare mental gifts, would willingly have 
preached Von Flopp's funeral sermon, for he was elo- 
quent over the grave, could draw delicate comparisons, 
and allude so tenderly to things connected with the life 
of the brave dead; but carrying a challenge was not in 
his line. 

" Then if your reverence will not carry my challenge 
there is an end to the whole matter, for I have not an- 
other friend in the regiment, except the little bugler, 
and it would not do to send him. As for the doctor, 
he only wants the opportunity to give me a pill that 
will insure my passage into another world." 

Here the two parted, the Chaplain not being well 
pleased at the way Von Flopp got out of the fight, and 
Von Flopp firmly believing that it would be gaining a 



\ 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 157 

victory over liis enemies not to fight any of tliem, but 
to nurse his courage until the day of battle, and then 
show tliein that lie had pluck of no mean kind. 

The protest was sent, but it failed to produce any 
effect, for our good-natured Colonel put it in his pocket, 
and there it remained. Then, too, Yon F.'opp remained, 
a political fact, forced on the regiment to destroy its 
usefulness, just as politicians of more mental capacity 
were making miscliief destructive to the whole army. 
A remonstrance against this strange proceeding, signed 
by a large number of the officers, was sent to General 
McClcllan, praying that he would take such action as 
would relieve us from the burden about to be forced 
upon us. The General acted promptly in the matter, 
and an order soon came, directing the Colonel to make 
an inquiry into the matter, and report. This order 
produced great fluttering in camp for a day or so, and 
Von Flopp began to think his prospects of being soon 
made a General were at an end. But I have noticed 
in the volunteer service that it is one thing to issue an 
order and quite another to get it obeyed. The inquiry 
was never made, and General McClellan's order, like 
the protest, found a quiet sleeping place in the ColoneFs 
pocket. Promotions are made in this way. 



CHAPTER XYI. 



CHANGE OF CA3IP, AND GRAND REVIEW. 

We had been twice drenched out at Moore's farm, 
and the wet, swampy nature of the ground had already 
affected injuriously the healtli of the men. We struck 
camp on the 19th of September, and moved to Meridian 
Hill, a liigh and healthy position, overlooking Wash- 
ington and its beautiful surroundings. Here our little 
town under canvas began to assume a more orderly 
and regular appearance, thanks to Lieutenant Colonel 
Schickfuss, wlio began to win the respect of the men 
by showing that he knew his business thoroughly, and 
was resolved to enforce discipline. Under his dii-ection 
schools of instruction were opened, and the ofScers 
applied themselves to the tactics. We had company- 
drills, too, nearly every day, but the work of training 
new horses so that they could execute movements with 
celerity progressed slowly. Efficiency was a thing not 
to be attained in a month or even a year; nor was it 
difficult to see from the slow progress we made in im- 
provement what an hcrculian task it was to make an 
army a general could feel safe with in the face of an 
enemy. There was, however, little for mounted troops 

158 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 159 

to do on the Virginia side of the Potomac, for the enemy 
had his fierce looking Quakers pointed at us from 
Munson's and Upton's Hills, and the pickets of both 
armies were keeping up a lively exchange of leaden 
compliments almost in sight of the Capitol. 

On the 8th of October General McClellan ordered a 
grand review of the troops in and about Washington. 
The field designated was the broad plain east of the 
Capitol, and we were ordered to be on the ground and 
in position at three o'clock. This was to be our first 
appearance before the Commanding General, and our 
little town under canvas was all astir at an early 
hour. The men labored hard to get their horses well 
groomed, their equipments clean, and their arms bright. 
The Adjutant was kept busy issuing a string of orders, 
and contraband servants hurried about, makiuG: a <rreat 
deal of noise among themselves, some cleaning the 
horses, others the boots and uniforms of their new 
masters. The lager-beer man was driving a brisk 
business with the German battalion, which was as usual 
making a great deal of noise, and old women with their 
leathery pies were circulating about, their baskets 
nearly empty. By noon the noise and excitement had 
increased to its highest point. Every few minutes the 
fierce-looking face of the German Major, his long mous- 
taches twisted into papers, was seen protruding from 
the canvas of his tent, as if for the amusement of tliose 
near by. Then he would call lustily for his servant, 
Franz Hertz, who was enjoying lager with a friend at 
tlie beerman's stand. Ogle sat contcmplatingly in his 
tent, and hinting to those around him that we should 



160 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

not make a very respectable appearance on review. 
He protested that mounting men and calling them cav- 
alry before they could ride was a libel on the service. 

But the subject that afforded tlie camp most merri- 
ment, as well as alarm for what he would do on review, 
was Von Flopp. He had made up his mind to be a 
great feature in the review, as well as to make a deep 
impression on the mind of the Commanding General. 
Indeed, it was not of the slightest consequence to him 
that he was innocent of all knowledge of cavalry, and 
could not give a correct command to his battalion. 
Early in the morning, he had created no little amount 
of merriment in camp by one of the strangest orders 
that ever emanated from a diseased brain, and which 
began thus : " The battalion I have the honor to 
command will," &c., &c. The Major had a weakness 
for showey uniforms, and so concerned was he lest a 
coat the tailor had just made him had not lace becom- 
ing to an officer of such rank, that he called in the 
little bugler to give an opinion. Then he could not 
find his servant, one Yon Cycle ; and in order not to 
be behind, liad to give a shilling to a strolling contra- 
band to polish up his big boots. This done, he 
appeared in his shirt and breeches, big boots and im- 
mense spurs, and paced in great tribulation before his 
teiit, the little bugler admiring liim from a stump near 
by, and every few minutes making the most aggravat- 
ing sounds on his horn. 

" Sound a call for that servant of mine, bugler,'^ said 
the Major, " and let it be loud and strong, for the fellow 
is asleep somewhere." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 161 

" The d — 1 !" rejoined the hustler, opening his shark- 
like mouth ; " I can sound an officer's call— never heard 
of one for servants before." 

"Go blow 3^our bug-lc all about the camp, or wliere- 
ever you think that servant of mine is, and when you 
have found Iiim, say I will send him to tlie guard- 
house — yes, chain liim to a ball, unless he comes at 
once and attends to my uniform." The ISIajor said tliis 
in an angry tone, and tlie bugler took his departure, 
blowing all sorts of discordant sounds on his liorn, in 
return for which lie received numerous kicks and cuffs. 
To those who inquired what he was alarming the camp 
for, he replied that what he was doing was by order of 
Major Yon Flopp. He soon returned, however, ac- 
companied by a flabby young fellow, ill-favored, with 
heavy jaws, and a tongue perpetually protruding 
from his mouth and thickening his speech. lie came 
forward muttering and shaking his head ; and instead 
of going meekly to work getting his master into uni- 
form, like a military servant, he conunenced cursing 
him for a fool who had disturbed him at a game of 
seven-up, whereat he had won twenty or more shillings 
from his comrades. 

"Hold your tongue, sir," said the Major. "Don't 
you know you are using language disrespectful to a 
superior officer ? You shall be well punished for this 
when review is over." 

"Won't hold my tongue," replied the servant, shak- 
ing his clenched hand at the Major, who was re-enter- 
ing his tent "won't hold my tongue. Take off our 
coats, and I'm as good a man as you. Did'nt enlist to 
8* 



162 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

play boot-black to that spooney — won't do it neither ; 
can't make me do it. Government ain't a paying mo 
thirteen dollars a month for playing shoe-black to such 
a spoony. Pays me to fight secessionists, does." 

" You would'nt a talked that way in the regulars," 
interposed the little bugler, reprovingly. 

Here the Major returned, bearing on his arm his 
vest, coat, belt, and sabre, his dress hat and feathers. 
"Now, get your brush," said he, "no more of this dis- 
respect to a superior officer, but have these things well 
cleaned. Be careful with the hat, and see that the 
feathers are nicely shaken. Keep your behavior good, 
and you shall be a corporal one of these days." 

The man caught up his brush, looked sullenly at the 
Mnjor, and taking the clothes from his arm, mounted the 
hat on his own head. Then he began applying his 
brush, and again cursing his master, who was much 
concerned about his hat, and peremptorily ordered that 
the man remove it from his head, or be sent to the 
guard-house. The man removed the hat reluctantly 
from his head, saying he supposed he must obey orders. 
Numerous persons had by this time gathered about the 
Major's tent, looking on with wonder at the strange 
scene. Again the Major disappeared into his tent, and 
again the refractory Von Cycle mounted the hat and 
featliers, much to the amusement of those looking on. 

" Say, little bugler," ejaculated the servant, extend- 
ing his arm and pointing with his brush. "Hard, ain't 
it ? Come down liere to fight rebs, then be told you 
can't cuss a muff like this Major, without having the 
guard-house shook in your face." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 1G3 

The Major had been watching his servant through an 
opening in his tent, and, seeing his new uniform dashed 
to the ground, ran out in a state of great excitement, and 
calling a guard, had the man marched off to the guard- 
house, declaring he would have him court-martialed fo. 
language disrespectful to a superior officer. He now 
called in the aid of the bugler, who never failed him, 
and in ihe course of half an hour appeared before his 
tent in full uniform, his pistols pouched and his sabre 
clattering about his heels. But his hat and feathers 
were nowhere to be found. 

The time for forming the regiment was now at hand. 
Indeed, boot and saddle had been sounded, and the 
Major went about camp like a man of deranged brain, 
offering ten dollars to any man who would bring him 
his liat, and the name of the thief that stole it. No- 
body seemed inclined to earn the reward. It now 
flashed across the Major's mind that his unruly servant 
might have born it to the guard-house on his head. It 
was found there, but in no condition to be mounted by 
an officer of such high rank. But the Major's mis- 
fortunes were not to end here. 

Again the bugles sounded, companies began to fall 
in, the line was formed, and the regiment, mounted, 
was ready to march. Some mischievous wag had 
stolen Yon Flopp's horse. He had allowed himself to 
get into a state of intense excitement, and approaching 
the Colonel, beseeched him not to move the regiment 
until he liad found his animal, since there was not 
another in camp he would appear on before so distin- 
guished a general as McClellan. In another minute 



164 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the regiment was moving off at a brisk trot, the 
Major's battalion in command of the senior captain. 

This was General McClellan's first grand review 
nortli of the Potomac. He was then the military idol 
of the day, in the very higliest of his popularity, liis 
every movement noted, magnified, and heralded over 
the land. He was on the field when we got there, sur- 
rounded by a brilliant staff, a number of general 
officers, and his celebrated body-guard of troopers, all 
mounted on the finest horses the country could pro- 
duce. McClellan knew the value of show on the mind 
of the soldier, and took advantage of it whenever he 
could. A great multitude of people, some in car- 
riages, some mounted on gay steeds, otliers afoot, had 
gathered on the field to be spectators of the grand and 
imposing scene. Tlie troops to be reviewed were for 
the most part cavalry and artillery. Bright and for- 
midable-looking batteries, mounted and. equipped in 
such perfect condition, swept gaily past, their guidons 
fluttering in the breeze. Then there came long lines 
of cavalry, with banners flying and bands playing 
inspiring airs. Now the very air resounded with 
martial strains, and the eye scanned over a scene ricli 
with the pomp and show cf war. The troops were 
soon formed in a grand and imposing line, the batteries 
glaring and flashing in the sunlight, and flaujiting colors 
throwing their inspiring influence over the bewitching 
scene. In tliis gorgeous array f>f military pomp, of out- 
ward show, and deceptive strength, figured the men upon 
whose strong arms and earnest hearts the nation had 
rested its hope of salvation. The little fair-haired man 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 165 

who formed tlie central figure of that brilliant group 
(brilliant mentally as well as ornamentally) was the 
great object of attraction, for he was being worshipped 
as only a people who dislike kings can worship a 
commoner. 

Just here a very ludicrous scene occurred. When 
the line was formed and the column was about to move 
in review, great cheering was heard on the left of the 
line among the spectators. It was caused by Yon 
Floop, who came galloping upon the ground, after the 
manner of Ichabod Crane, his poor liorse recking with 
foam, and himself almost breathless with excitement. 
His manner created great alarm among the troops, 
many of the officers taking him for a madman, who, in 
an odd freak, might charge upon them and do them 
serious bodily harm. Nor did his strange pranks fail 
to attract tlie notice of the Commanding General, who 
sent one of his staff to inquire wlio the man was, for 
he kept galloping up and down the front, now charg- 
ing through and putting a stop to the music of some 
band, now frightening officers from their positions. It 
was seen at last that the man was in search of his reGfi- 
ment ; but such was the state of his mind that lie had 
rode past it twice or thrice without recognizing liis 
own command. At length the good Chaplain, seeing 
his distress, went to him and put an end to his gala- 
van ting. 

The massive column was now in motion, and with 
bands playing and colors flying swept proudly past the 
reviewing General, and presenting a formidable appear- 
ance. But, after all, it was but a thing of show and 



166 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

appearance. The experienced eye saw at once that the 
two most essential things to the efficiency of an army — 
drill and discipline — were wanting, and could only be 
attained with time. Horses were new to the business; 
officers did not know how to give commands correctly; 
and when they were given, the men did not understand 
how to obey them. This was especially so with the 
cavalry. An attempt to execute anything but the 
simplest movements resulted in lamentable confusion. 
To have led such a force against a formidable and de- 
termined foe would have been next to madness on the 
part of any general. 

We were glad when the scenes of the day ended, for 
the part we had taken in them did not reflect much 
credit on either our drill or discipline. But it must be 
remembered that ours was a new regiment; that we 
had been mounted but a few weeks, and hence little 
could be expected of us. 



CHAPTER XYII. 



HOW NOT TO DO IT. 

There are few objects more entitled to sympathy than 
tliat of a man with a bundle of accounts under his arm, 
besieging some crusty, ill-mannered disbursing officer 
for their examination and payment. I was found in 
that position once; I hope never to be again. During 
the month of September I was besieging the Quarter- 
master General's office for examination and payment 
of the bills we had incurred in organizing the first 
regiment of volunteer cavalry raised for the war. 
General Meigs, who was quick to grasp what the ne- 
cessities of the times demanded, saw at once that unless 
such bills as tliese were paid, and paid promptly, tliere 
would be a check to recruiting in the Northern States. 
Supposing that the funds appropriated by Congress for 
the payment of recruiting bills liad been placed to tlie 
credit of his Department, which indeed tliey ought to 
have been, he promptly referred me to Captain (now 
Colonel) Perry, with a request that he would examine 
them at once, and report. I found in the Captain one 
of these pleasant, genial, and companionable gentlemen, 
whose gentle natures have shed a charm around the 

167 



168 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

associations of West Point. He bad recently returned 
from Fort Pickens, where he had been to reinforce that 
stronghold when the rebels were in the hey-day of their 
defiance. He was snffering from a severe injury to one 
of liis feet, received while on duty at Pickens, and al- 
though suffering great pain, was daily performing the 
immense amount of duty incident to his new position 
in the Quartermaster General's Department. 

Captain Perry had such an amount of business al- 
ready on his hands, and so many volunteer officers wlio 
knew nothing of their business to instruct, tliat he had 
but little time to give to the examination of accounts. 
However, we got alon^ very pleasantly together, and 
a man softens impatience by doing all he can to pro- 
mote your interests. Seven or eiglit days past, and we 
had nearly got to tlie end of the tedious accounts when 
the Captain's health gave out and he was forced to 
keep his room for nearly a week. One morning ho 
went to work with his usual cheerfulness; tlie accounts 
were examined, and a favorable report made. Then 
they had each to be numbered and registered, every 
item copied and indorsed. To do this required several 
days' time, and the exercise of more than ordinary pa- 
tience. I now began to flatter myself with tlie hope 
that I was nearly to the end of the immense reel of red 
tape I had been trying to unknot for nearly three 
weeks. No such good fortune was in store for me. 

When I thought myself done with the red tape of 
the War Department, the important discovery was 
made that the fund appropriated by Congress had been 
assigned to the Adjutant General and not the Quarter- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 169 

master General for disbursement. All our time and 
patience proved to have been wasted, and I had to 
shoulder my budget and commence a new siege at that 
tomb of the dead-wood, the Adjutant General's Office. 
Here I was referred to a newly appointed disbursing 
officer, who had an office across the street. I shall 
never forget this gentleman and my first interview with 
him. He was a Lieutenant of regulars, a brave bitu- 
minous sort of person, ready to catch fire at the slight- 
est touch, and composed of all the ill-tempered odds 
and ends of some very ill-tempered family. He lived 
and flourished in an atmosphere of perpetual quarrel- 
ing. And when there was no one else to enjoy a 
quarrel with he managed to get up a quarrel with him- 
self. He spoke with a strong nasal twang, and his free 
use of profane expletives, as well as his odd manner of 
mixing them up with what many would call })ious invo- 
cations, marked him as a man of some inventive genius. 
This, considered as a merit in a disbursing officer, may 
account for his appointment by Adjutant General 
Thomas, with whom, I was told, he was a great favorite. 
But I must say of the poor man that he had the work 
of a dozen men to do, and in this he found an excuse 
for being more proficient at inventing profanity than 
discharging his duties with ease and quickness. His 
business knowledge was of the most limited and crude 
kind, and he seemed to regard his position as one giv- 
ing him full authority to block the wheels of the Gov- 
ernment as much as he could. He did not think much 
of volunteers, suspected the motives of every one who 
had helped raise a regiment, snarled at those who asked 



170 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

him questions he held not exactly proper for him to 
answer, and regarded as a thief any man with a bill it 
was his business to pay. To any one at all acquainted 
with business it would have appeared strange that such 
a man should have been entrusted with the disburse- 
ment of millions of dollars of the people's money. And 
yet in addition to being a disbursing officer, he was an 
inspector of mules and horses, as well as mustering 
officer. At one time he would be gone to Harper's 
Ferry to be absent three or four days, inspecting mules 
and horses, while applicants by the score were besieg- 
ing his office to get their accounts settled. At another 
he would be away for a day, mustering in or mustering 
out troops. And when he got home he was generall}^ 
so distracted with the amount of business that had 
accumulated, and his incapacity to get through it 
properly, that it took him no little time to collect his 
thoughts. 

His clerk, for he had only one, would coolly tell you 
you would be mistaken if you expected to get accounts 
examined to-day. I rarely ever met a more strange 
pair than this young man and his master. One seemed 
to echo the other's aversion to persons having business 
with the office. He was what is commonly accepted as 
a nice young man, this clerk, dressed in the highest 
feather of fashion, and wore painfully tight and bright 
patent leather boots. These boots evidently gave him 
more concern than the war and its necessities. The 
weather being incessantly warm, you generally found 
this nice young Mr. Dead wood sitting in a chair, one 
boot off, and airing his chaffed foot out of a window. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 171 

" Now, here you are again, botlierin' me about tliem 
accounts," he would sny to each visitor, screwing his 
face into a wrinkle. Then he would draw in his boot- 
less foot, rub his toes, and curse his bootmaker. "Have 
to suffer tlie torments because that feller didn't under- 
stand me when I told him to make 'em bigger.'' It 
was no matter liow much a person had done to serve 
tb'e Government, how far lie had come, wliat expense 
he was at in the city, he would find his ardour damped 
by this nice young Deadwood, of a dead-wood Depart- 
ment. Once when I called to inquire if tlie disbursing 
officer had got back from inspecting mules, Mr. Dead- 
wood was hobbling across the floor, a boot in one hand 
and fanning himself with the other. 

*' Now, you don't think there's going to be any ex- 
amining accounts done here to-day?" he said, increas- 
ing the motion of his fan. " Got no authority to do 
notliin' when Lieutenant isn't here. Got enough to do 
to keep cool this weather." Mr. Deadwood had evi- 
dently enough to do to take care of his own physical 
comfort, and was not to be disturbed by persons who 
had been engaged at the mean work of recruiting regi- 
ments. 

An intimation that the system of doing business at 
his office could not promote the interests of the Gov- 
ernment, disturbed liis mental equanimity, for he rose 
to liis feet, and after an ineffectual attempt to pull on 
his boot, ejaculated: " Tliere'd be a d — d fuss if I took 
what you say for wliat you meant." Here lie threw 
his boot on the floor and followed it with his liat. 
" There's such a d d heap o' work," he muttered, 



172 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

rather than spoke. Then, raising his voice, he con- 
tinued: ''When we get at work, we get at it, and it 
goes some. Man what makes most noise don't do the 
most work; it's the man with the settled purpose." 
Here he picked up his hat, settled himself back into his 
chair, and returned thanks for the delicious breeze 
blowing in at the window. " Tell you," he said, de- 
spondingly, " this war's going to upset things generally. 

All brought on by them d d abolitionists. Man 

here yesterday from St. Louis; been here six weeks; got 
his wife with him; hard case, he thinks, (I don't;) havn't 
got his accounts through yet." Here he spoke in a 
tone of encouragement. " 'Nother chap been here three 
weeks from Cincinnati; he hasn't got hi? accounts 
through yet, swears some; don't do him no good; Lieu- 
tenant's down on him." I was about to intimate that 
I did not see exactly how this could help me, or give 
me a more favorable opinion of the manner of doing 
business in that o£6ce, when he interrupted by inquir- 
ing if I played on the flute. I replied in the negative, 
when he patronizingly informed me that he was taking 
lessons regularly. 

I was in no temper to appreciate tliis condescension, 
and intimated that I did not see what playing the flute 
had to do with the business that had brought me to tlie 
office. " Well, man, you better keep cool," he replied, 
"there's nothin' gained tliese tim^s by going into a 
state of excitement. There's a heap of people here 
wanting their accounts settled; been waitin' longer 'an 
you. Look a here !" he shook his head earnestly, " you 
ain't got no pity on a clerk what only gets twelve hun- 



THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 173 

dred a year, and no cliance to make an outside drive. 
No you ain't. And look wliat a heap a cussin' a clerk's 
got to take here." Here Mr. Dead wood went to fann- 
ing himself with prodigious energy, and continued until 
a tall, precisely dressed, and very anxious looking man, 
with a large bundle of papers under his arm, made his 
appearance. 

" Well, well, -well," said Mr. Deadwood, " if here 
isn't another." And with a forced laugh he interrupted 
what the man was about to say by saying: " Not a ghost 
of a chance for you to-day." 

The man had the appearance of a clergyman, spoke 
in a voice at once pleasing and musical, and seemed not 
a little surprised at the style of his reception. " You 
see, sir," said he, bowing, " I am from Massachusetts, 
represent a body of men who have done good service 
for the Government. I have been referred here, as you 
know, by the Adjutant General, (here he again bowed 
politely,) and it is necessary I get my business in Wash- 
ington done quickly, and go home " 

" Business in Washington done quickly!" interrupted 
Mr. Deadwood, with a loud laugh. " Who ever heard 
of such a thing ? Havn't been in Washington long, I 
reckon." 

" I have not, sir," replied the man from Massachu- 
setts, again bowing politely, " and as I am one of a 
committee to attend to the spiritual condition of our 
soldiers, am very anxious to get through this business." 

Mr. Deadwood rejoined in a half audible voice : 
" Spirits! our soldiers get spirits enough, God knows." 
Then, raising his voice, he continued: " Fact is, Mr. 



174 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Massachusetts, my opinion is — my opinion's generally 
correct you know — that them bills a your'n won't be 
paid at this office. Got so many things mixed up in 
'em." 

At this the precise gentleman from Massachusetts 
stood looking at the young man with an air of amaze- 
ment. In truth, it was evident he regarded him as a 
physiological phenomenon the Government had placed 
liere for some purpose he could not exactly understand. 
He had mused on Bunker Hill, and studied Theodore 
Parker while taking his morning walk around tlie big 
tree in the Boston Common; but never in his life had 
he met so queer a specimen of human odds and ends as 
the young man who now faced him. " May I venture 
to tell you, sir," (he now made a bow in whicli there 
was something positive,) " tliat Congress has passed a 
law making ample provision for the payment of all such 
accounts." 

" Congress! Congress I" interpolated Mr. Deadwood, 
half rising in liis chair, and making another desperate 
effort to get his boot on, "that's just like Congress I 
Congress ain't notliin' now-a-days; nobody cares for 
Congress; Congress don't know nothin' about the reg- 
ulations. Them accounts got to be paid according to 
the regulations; what does Congress know about war 
and the regulations ? Congress never touched any- 
thing but what it didn't make more work for the 
clerks." By this time several persons had gathered 
into the office, and all stood amazed at hearing Mr. 
Deadwood place himself so firmly down on the dignity 
of Congress. He never did like Congress. It made 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 175 

more work for liim; it disturbed his peace and comfort; 
it interfered with bis religion. The man from Massa- 
chusetts took his departure, intimating tliat this was 
no way to treat people who liad come so far and done 
so much, and Mr. Deadwood declared his intention to 
shut up for the day. 

After performing attendance for nearly a fortnight 
at this office, waiting, hoping against hope, patience 
taxed to its utmost, annoyed and almost insulted for 
doing what the Government required to have done, I 
succeeded in gaininc: the attention of the disbursing? 

DO O 

officer. But it was only to discover how incompetent 
he was for the responsible and very important position 
he held. He knew little or nothing of the provisions 
of the act of Congress, which were to govern him in 
the disbursement of the large sums of money placed in 
his hand. No sensible merchant would have employed 
such a man in his counting room, unless, indeed, ho 
were in haste to bring ruin on his affairs. In short, he 
was ready to dispute everything, and could pay nothing 
until he had consulted the Auditor of the Treasury as 
to whether sundry items would or would not be stopped 
against him.* 

Finding it impossible to make the slightest headway 
against the Dead-woods of this office, I appealed to 
Colonel Ruggles for relief. The Colonel promptly 
referred me to Colonel D. B. Sacket, recently appointed 
mustering and disbursing officer at New York. I shall 

* This officer was afterwards transferred to New York, and it 
was during his charge of the disbursing office there that such stu- 
pendous frauds on the Government were committed. 



laB STORY OF A TROOPER. 176 

never forget the feeling of relief afforded me by this 
change. My previous associations with army officers 
had made me familiar with the reputation of Sacket. 
I have rarely met so pleasant a gentleman to do busi- 
ness with. Ready to take kind and generous views of 
what the necessities of the time demanded, he was 
prompt in the discharge of his duty, and never per- 
mitted prejudice to interfere with his decisions. He 
knew that he could best promote the interests of the 
Government by seeing that it promptly discharged its 
obligations to citizens. ColOnel Sacket had but two 
assistants, and with these he was compelled to dis- 
charge the immense amount of business then crowding 
upon his office. My accounts, however, were examined 
promptly, and such of them as came within the instruc- 
tions he had received from the War Department, re- 
specting the settlement of accounts, paid, and all within 
a few days of the time I presented them. 



CHAPTER XYIII. 



INTO VIRGINIA. 



We struck tents on tlie morning of the lOtli of Oc- 
tober and moved over into Virginia. Rumors of all 
kinds were freely circulated as to tlie object of our 
movement. And the more wild and absurd these 
rumors were the more readily did they seem to find 
believers among the men. One set afloat at the head 
of the regiment soon found its way to the rear, creating 
its share of excitement or amusement ail along the line. 
As usual, every man had his own rumor, and open ears 
for the rumors of others. One had it that we were to 
join a force of infantry and artillery on the south side 
of tlie Potonmc and movo on Leesburg; another, tiiat 
tlie rebels had advanced a strong force to Annandale, 
where Ashbyliad his cavalry, which we. were to attack 
and drive back. X third knew it for certain that the 
Army of tlie Potom.ac, with General McClcllan at its 
head, v,^as to move on and thrash the rebels out of 
Manassas, and that our regiment was to form the ad- 
vance guard. 

The weather was damp and the roads heavy, but the 
men were in fine spirits, and amused themselves by 
9 177 



178 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

cliccring eacli camp tliey passed along the road, and 
singing patriotic songs. The fact tliat they were to 
approach the enemy had an inspiring effect on them, 
and tliey would have desired nothing better than to 
have met him. The country through which we passed 
had a cheerless and deserted air, espooially after we 
passed the long line of hills on which the grand Army 
of the Potomac was then encamped. The iron hoof of 
war was already producing its work of desolation. We 
had many of us read of, and even enjoyed, those pleasant 
homes and green fields of Virginia. The sights which 
now everywhere presented themselves produced strange 
and painful recollections. Many of these pleasanthomes 
had been deserted by their former occupants and were 
now used by our soldiers to hold their nightly revels in. 
Others were destroyed entirely, and only their ruins re- 
mained to mark the spots where they had stood. Those 
green productive fields had been turned into camping 
grounds, and those pretty oak groves of which Virginia 
once boasted were being cut down to make fuel for camp 
fires. What few inhabitants remained were of the 
poorer class, who hoped to save what little they had 
through the instrumentality of our army, which they 
had been led to believe was one of protection. But 
the destruction that marked its advance gave them 
little encouragement for tlie future. You would find 
one liere and tliere who openly acknowledged sympathy 
with the South; but the majority were moody and 
downcast; indeed like a people seeking friends and 
assistance among strangers vv^ho had come suddenly to 
repopulate their country but had no sympathy for tlieir 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 179 

misfortunes. The thought forced itself painfully on 
one's mind that Virginia's prestige, which once claimed 
so much power in the body-politic of the nation, was 
gone forever. The images of her great men, whose 
virtues the civilized world had come to admire, seemed 
to rise up, one after another, and hover in our thoughts. 
And the consciousness that these bright images were 
things of the past, and that the noble old Common- 
weaitli reared by their genius was being torn to pieces 
by Virginians of a different stamp, produced feelings of 
sorrow and pain. It had come to that, that Virginians 
were Virginia's worst enemy; and having given her 
soil as a free grave-yard for her sons, the scourge of 
war was fast finishing up the work the curse of slavery 
had begun by corrupting their minds. 

We had marched about six miles when the whole 
column was thrown into a state of excitement by the 
shrill sound of a bugle in our rear. Tliis was followed 
]>y tlie sharp tramp of hoofs, the clashing of sabres, and 
the shout of horsemen. It was at first thought that 
Asliby might have got in our rear with the intention 
of harassing us. But then he would not be likely to 
come under the sound of bugles. On looking in the 
direction the sound came from, three horsemen were 
seen emerging from a wood we had passed a few min- 
utes before, and advancing down a hill at full speed. 
Tlie officer in command of the rear guard halted his 
men and formed across the road, ready to receive the 
strangers and hear what account they had to give of 
themselves. That they were on a mission demanding 
the quickest execution, and had important orders, not 



180 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

one of us doubted. Judge, then, of our disappointment 
wlicn I say that as they came up, their horses reeking 
with foam, lie who rode ahead v^as recognized as our 
little bugler. And this roving fellow was followed by 
DO less a person than Major Von Flopp, who in turn 
was followed by his new servant, an unsightly negro, 
who had a pair of long, wabbling legs, was without hat 
or shoes, and rode a lean gray horse, with a heavy old- 
fashioned rocking chair secured behind. 

And here I may mention that this venerable chair 
was a piece of property Major Von Flopp was trans- 
porting to the field to carry out a maxim he had often 
asserted — that no really good trooper ought to go to 
tlie war without furniture to make himself comfortable. 
In truth, the Major had so much furniture with him 
that it was evident he intended to make a permanent 
settlement somewhere in the sunny country, and at 
no distant day. 

Now, it was with great difficulty these tlirco remark- 
able riders could be brought to a halt, or made to give 
any account of themselves. The Major fell back on his 
rank, and insisted tliat the officer of the guard, who 
was only a Captain, had no right to stop him or call 
his conduct in question; and unless his bugler was 
allowed to proceed, and himself to pass, he would have 
him arrested for disrespect to a superior officer. The 
reader can better imagine than I can describe the puffy 
figure cut by the Major and his men. It seems that iu 
order to keep him away from his battalion, v/hich it was 
feared would break out into open mutiny whenever he 
appeared before it, the Colonel had very wisely detailed 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 181 

liim to remain behind and assist the nurses in tahino- 
care of and bringing forward the sick. The Colonel 
hinted that he had made tlie detail out of compliment 
to liis large humanity, and as such he accepted it, and 
would have performed the service cheerfully enough 
but for a mischievous steward, who saw through the 
deception and enlightened the Major as to the trick 
that had been played upon him. As may be supposed, 
tlie Major was indignant at the insult that had been 
offered to his high rank. "You are a sensible man, 
steward," said he. " What is more, you are a good 
friend of mine, and I always said you was. I have 
studied the regulations, and there is nothing in them 
that says an officer who has the honor to command a 
battalion sliall do hospital duty as a nurse.'' 

A few minutes more and the Major had his faithful 
bugler at his side, liis servant and the big chair mounted. 
Then there was a shrill blast; all three were mounted, 
and away they went, alarming all the timid people 
along the road, the little bugler blowing his horn every 
few minutes, warning all wayfarers to make way for 
his master. 

The Major now insisted that he must take command 
of and ride at the head of his battalion, and the Cap- 
tain of the rear guard giving way, he put spurs to his 
jaded animal and proceeded on, followed by his servant 
and the rocking chair. But no sooner had he appeared 
in front of his battalion than the temper of the men 
broke out into open disorder. They began treating 
him with ridicule, and, indeed, saying and doing all 

sorts of things inconsistent with good order and disci- 

« 



182 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

pline. The disorder kept increasing until the rear com- 
pany struck up the rogue's march. This was so great 
an indignity offered to his high rank that tlie Major 
could stand it no longer. He thereupon rode to the 
rear, and began expostulating with his officers on the 
bad behavior of their men, who were now as quiet as 
mice. But the front now took up the song, and sang 
it so merrily that he hastened forward, having first 
drawn his sabre, to put an end to it. In this way they 
kept the Major riding from front to rear, and from rear 
to front, followed by his flapping servant, for nearly 
half an hour. The disorder and confusion at length 
became so great that the whole regiment was tlirown 
into convulsions of laughter, and indeed brought to a 
halt. The Major brandished his sabre, said he was no 
fool, and not to be laughed at by his battalion; and if 
they continued it he would have them all punished for 
disrespect to a superior officer. The Colonel having 
appeared on the ground in the hope of putting an end 
to these proceedings, and restoring order, the Major 
appealed to him for protection. " You shall see, sir," 
said he, " before the war is over, that I have courage 
enough, and am no fool." Then he whispered: " Say 
to them, Colonel, that General McClellan is a particu- 
lar friend of mine; and it will go hard with them if this 
matter is reported to him." 

The appearance of the Colonel restored order on the 
part of the men. And after reprimanding Yon Flopp 
for the part he was performing, and also for abandon- 
ing the sick, he ordered him to proceed in advance and 
select a camping ground. The Major regarded tliis 



THE BTOIIY OF A TROOPER. 183 

new order as Inglily complimentary to Lis judgment, 
and lost no time in proceeding to execute it. Indeed, 
he left Ids battalion at a gallop, liis faitbful bugler in 
advance, and followed by his servant with the rocking 
chair. The regiment cheered and shouted as he passed 
along, and not a few wished he might never return. 

The regiment marched along at a slow pace, and it 
was well nigh dark when we encamped near Ball's 
Cross Roads. Here we reported to General Palmer, 
and formed a part of hi-s command. A more dreary 
and inhospitable spot for a camp it would be difficult 
to imagine. The weatlier was cold and damp, and the 
ground exceedingly wet and spongy. Indeed, it soon 
became a soft bed of oily clay, and so difficult to per- 
ambulate that the men said the soil of Virginia had no 
bottom. The camp they were inclined to call " mis- 
fortune." It was well on in the evening when we got 
our tents up, camp fires lighted; and the preparation of 
sapper gave an air of cheerfulness to our new camp. 
It takes some little time to get settled in a new camp, 
just as it does in a new house; indeed it takes a day 
or two before the military and subsistence machinery 
of a camp get working smoothly. The officers were 
exploririg the contents of their mess-cliests for some- 
thing for supper, and lie who had anything left in his 
bottle was free to share it with his companion in arms. 
In truth, we had to content ourselves with ratlier a 
scanty supper, for the roads were bad and neither our 
sutler nor our supply train had come up. The few 
buiklings that in other days had constituted the cross- 
ing, where politics were discussed and the gossips of the 



184 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

nci^^liborliood were wont to congregate, were either 
domolislied or occupied b}^ oiir troops, who were fast 
working tlicir destruction. As for the few farmers left, 
they were exceedingly poor, and had little to supply 
their own wants. Indeed they were continually seek- 
ing to excite our sympatliy by recounting the most 
painful stories of their losses by our troops. 

We wore at the front now, where a more strict dis- 
cipline was required, as well as greater vigilance on 
the part of the guards. Some of the people were sullen 
and treacherous, appearing in our camps as friends 
during the day, and at niglit firing at and sometimes 
killing our men when they appeared outside. The 
temper of these people was a problem few of our offi- 
cers seemed to appreciate, or even give themselves the 
trouble to study. 

We were now only about ten miles from Washington, 
and yet we sujQfered greatly for subsistence and forage. 
For nearly three days we were without forage, and the 
sufierings of the poor animals was painful to witness. 
They would knc^w the bark of trees, and indeed tell us 
more plainly than woikIs could speak how intensely 
tliey were suffering for something to sustain life. 
Several of our animals died before wc could get the 
means of saving them. Wlien we did get forage, the 
quality was so bad as to make one feel like inflicting 
the severest p^jniphment upon the dishonest contractor 
who furnished it. Tlie climate of Virginia is very try- 
ing on the constitution of northern horses, most of 
whicli are raised with great care, and well sheltered 
during winter. The cavalry horse is exposed to all 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 185 

the tests of this most changeable climate, and want of 
forage too often ends the life exposure had begun to 
destroy. 

It was well on in the evening, tattoo was being 
sounded, the countersign had been given out, roll had 
been called, and no one had seen or licard anytliing of 
Major Von Flopp, whose tent still lay on the ground 
unpitchcd. One and another began to inquire for hiui, 
and fears were entertained tliat he liad kept on into 
the enemy's lines, and been captured. In tliat event 
we sliould have to regret the loss of Crump, the little 
bugler. The guard at the crossing was interrogated, 
and such information there obtained as led to search 
being made for the Major and his men at a neighboring 
farm-house. And there he was found, having engaged 
comfortable lodgings for himself and men. 

Now this history would be incomplete did I not 
describe the benevolent occupation the Major was 
found eno'ao'ed in. Tlie ofScers who went in search of 
him happened to look in at the window before enter- 
ing, and, to their great amusement, discovered tlie 
Major in his shirt sleeves, working away at an old- 
fashioned cliurn, assisting the good woman to make her 
butter. The woman, who was anything but prepossess- 
ing, and plainly clad, sat rocking herself in the Major's 
big chair, while the little bugler was busy washing 
the supper dishes, and the negro servant lay stretched 
before a blazing fire, his feet nearly into the ashes and 
his head on a big shaggy dog. The Major expressed 
great surprise when the officers entered, ceased his 
9^^ . 



186 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

work at the cliurn, and made liaste to put on his 

uniform. 

- •' What has brought you here at this hour ?'' inquired 

the Major, reproachfully, and at the same time wiping 

the splashes of cream from his nether garments. 

"This is no time to be away from your regiment." 

" We are in search of you, Major,'' replied one of 
tliem, " and have orders to bring you in arrest to 
camp." 

"Arrest a superior officer ?" returned the Major. 
" You can't practice a trick like that on me. This 
poor woman is in great distress. Her husband is 
away in the Confederate army, and she has no one left 
to protect her " 

" Them 'ear sodjers o' yourn," interrupted the woman, 
increasing her rocking, "give me a right big skaar 
when they com'd ere fust. Done me a right smart 
heap a harm since — tue. Han't got a pig nor a sheep — 
and only one keouw left." 

" There now," interposed the Major, " you hear the 
poor woman's own stor3\ Did'nt ask you to believe 
me. I considered it a soldier's duty to protect this 
poor woman. If the enemy comes to-night, you will 
know where to find me." 

" He's bin mighty kind to me, this ^ere gentleman 
has," replied the woman. " That are butter he was a 
churniii' is thefiust I've made for more nor a month.'' 

Here the Major made an attempt to turn the conver- 
sation by saying his battalion had not treated him well, 
and lie thought to punish it by making his headquar- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 187 

ters at some distance away. But the woman was not 
to be silenced by this interruption. 

"Used to work," said she, "at the millinery busi- 
ness. Arn'd a right smart heep of money at it afore 
the war broke out, did. Gentleman says he'll set me 
up in the business if I'd go with your regiment to 
Richmond. Husband's in the Thard Virginy. Would 
go anywhar to see him." 

" I said," rejoined the Major, apologizingly, "that 
since the poor woman had no husband, I would see her 
protected. You may laugh, gentlemen," and here he 
lowered liis voice to a whisper ; " but I hold it the first 
duty of a soldier to protect the distressed." 

Seeing that remonstrance with the Major was use- 
less, and that he was not to be persuaded into leaving 
his comfortable quarters, nor, indeed, to consider him- 
self in arrest, the officers returned to camp and report- 
ed what they had heard and seen. But no sooner had 
they taken their departure, than he turned to the 
woman, saying : " There, you see, madam, my regiment 
thinks it can't get along without me for a night. 
These officers will be frighted out of their wits all 
night, just because I'm away." 

Tlie officers resolved among themselves that the 
Major's slumbers should i^ot be so tranquil, and, 
indeed, concocted a plan to disturb them. It was after 
midnight, the grand army of the Potomac slept undis- 
turbed along i]\e hills of Arlington, and the stillness 
that hung over the broad landscape was broken only 
by the hoarse voice of some weary sentinel, demanding 
the countersign. Suddenly the shrill notes of a bugle, 



188 THE STOKY OF A TROOPEll. 

sounding the alarm, were heard, the men responded 
quickly, and in a few minutes the camp was all astir. 
Rumor had it that the enemy, meditating a surprise, 
had advanced and driven in our pickets. Major Ogle 
and several other officers were seen in a group near 
the headquarters, their horses saddled and ready to 
mount. The buglers sounded boots and saddles, and 
the call was as quickly responded to, for there was 
great rivalry among the companies to see which should 
be ready to mount first. And when the line was 
formed and mounted, the little bugler appeared in 
camp to inquire for Miijor Yon Flopp what was the 
matter in camp, and if the battalion he had the honor 
to command needed his services. 

The little bugler was sent back to say that the 
enemy was rapidly advancing in strong force, and as 
the fight was likely to be a desperate one, there was 
great need that Major Yon Flopp be here to command 
his battalion. 

The Major not making his appearance within a rea- 
sonable time, the regiment vvheeled by fours and moved 
out on the Little River Turnpike about two miles. 
It now began to return by- a different road, and when 
about one hundred rods from the little farm-house 
where Yon Flopp had taken lodgings, a company was 
sent ahead, at a gallop, to surround and surprise tlic 
inmates. The heavy tramp of the horses made the 
very ground tremble, and sat all the curs in the neigh- 
borhood to barking. The ofiicers, having reached tlie 
house, dismounted and knocked heavily at the door. 

" Yv'ho's thare?'' inquired a feminine voice. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 189 

" Confederate officers, with a portion of the Con- 
federate army/' was the quick reply. " It has been 
reported to us that your house is a resort for Yankee 
officers." 

The good woman opened the door quickly, and in a 
delirium of joy thanked Pleaven that her hopes had 
Leen realized, asked certain questions concerning her 
husband, when they had left Richmond, and if tbey bad 
come to stay and drive the cursed Yankees out of Yir- 
ginia. To all of which the officers gave satisfactory 
answers. "And now,'' continued the good woman, 
lowering her voice to a whisper, " thar ain't much in 
the house, but yer shall have the best I got. Them 
are Yankees eaten up most all I got." Then touching 
one of the officers on the arm, she drew him aside, 
saying, "There's two on 'em in the house now; and a 
nigger tue. Under the bed in t'other room." 

The officer was quick to take the hint, for an invita- 
tion to enter the room was just what he wanted. Then, 
taking the candle from her hand, he motioned his com- 
rades, and they proceeded cautiously into the room. 
After casting about for several minutes, for it would 
not be polite to make the exposure too soon, a pair of 
remarkably long legs and feet, stockingless and boot- 
less, were discovered protruding from under a bed in 
one corner of the room. But they were black and 
crusty, and could not belong to Major Yon Flopp. 
The owner of them, however, was commanded to dis- 
cover himself, which he did after the manner of a tor- 
toise, backing out of his hole. When the tall figure 
of the negro stood erect he was in a sorry plight. 



190 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

He was commanded to give an account of his master. 
" My mas'r ? m}^ mas'r ? He stowed away in dar, boss, 
in dar," said he, in an agitated voice, and pointing 
under the bed. 

They now began to draw forth sundry old blankets 
and quilts. Then they made divers thrusts with their 
swords, and other demonstrations of doing serious bodily 
harm to whomsoever was concealed there. At length 
a voice cried out: " Heavens, gentlemen, spare my life, 
and I surrender to you a prisoner of war." Then the 
Major's ponderous figure came rolling out from under 
the bedside: "I was only here," he said, " to protect this 
poor woman and her property." And he rose to his feet 
and stood amazed at the appearance of his captors, in 
whom he recognized not confederates, but three officers 
of the first battalion. The Major sliook his head, sat 
down in his rocking chair, and never was a man so dis- 
turbed in his dignity. " You may think this all very 
fine, gentlemen," said he, looking askance at his cap- 
tors, " but I am no such fool as you would make me 
appear before this good woman" 

" So ! so !" interrupted the woman, " then they arn't 
our officers. You Yankees beats all for bein' cute." 
The woman discovered the serious mistake she had 
committed, and was inclined to make amends for the 
doubtful quality of her loyalty-. 

" I'm a gentleman," resumed the Major, " and not to 
be trifled with in this way. There shall be a court of 
inquiry into this matter. I liave read the regulations, 
and am sure there's nothing in them that permits the 
dignity of a field officer to be outrao-ed in this manner." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 191 

An end was put to this colloquy by one of tlie offi- 
cers threatening that unless the Major immediately 
packed up his traps and accompanied him to camp, force 
would be called in to compel obedience to the order. 

Search being made for the little bugler, he was found 
among the branches of an apple tree hard by. And 
now, all being ready, the truent party were mounted on 
their animals, and marched to the road, where the regi- 
ment was halted. No sooner had the men caught a 
glimpse of the Major's portly figure than they sent up 
cheers and groans without stint, for they saw in him 
the object they had been sent out to capture. The 
regiment now returned to camp, in the very best of 
temper; and here we must leave tlie Major making an 
effort to pitch his tent, and procure shelter for the rest 
of the night. 

The ruse served a good purpose; it proved how 
quickly the regiment could turn out on the sound of 
alarm; and also in what spirit the men were ready to 
face the enemy. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



MOVING HERE AND THERE. 

Our camp at Ball's Cross Roads became cliurned 
into a broad clay bed, of a consistency sufficient 
for brick making. So, on the 21st of October, we 
moved to a place called Brown's farm, where our ani- 
mals again suffered for shelter and forage. Our camp 
at Brown's farm was no improvement over the one we 
had just left, and on the 24th we were again in motion; 
and tliis time encamped near General Palmer's head- 
quarters. It began to look as if we were moving from 
place to place merely to see with what facility we could 
change camp, for no sooner had we got our canvas to 
rights in one place than an order came for us to move 
to another. And the last camp was sure not to be an 
improvement over the first. It got to be a by-word 
that we were practicing to take Riclimond, wliich some 
of our politicians were sure could be done by a brigade 
of men on horseback. At last we were becoming skill- 
ful in the art of moving camp, wliicli was something 
gained in the grand object of making a figliting army. 

It vv^ill be remembered, also, that about this time the 
great impatient and exacting American public had 

192 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 193 

again become restive, and demanded that the Army of 
the Potomac move on and take Richmond, having first 
thrashed the rebel army out of Manassas. There were 
divers politicians, too, who were sadly oppressed with 
profound military ideas, and these ideas becoming de- 
veloped into plans, they were forcing npon and con- 
founding the Government with. Even the President 
began to think it was not much of a job to take Rich- 
mond. Indeed the politicians were ready to show 
exactly how Richmond could be taken if we only had 
generals who were not in sympathy with the people 
they were sent to fight. But I have noticed that there 
is the greatest difference possible between a quiet gen- 
tleman in his comfortable home taking Riclunond over 
his tea-cups of an evening and a great army stuck ffi*3t 
in twenty-four-inch mud before it has made a day's 
march toward the object it seeks to destroy. But even 
the ordinary observer could not fail, on a short con- 
nection with the Army of the Potomac, to see that 
however strong it might be in numbers, in earnest 
hearts, and active spirits, it was weak in the three great 
essentials to military success — drill, discipline, and 
equipment. 

Our regiment was a fair sample of the whole army. 
We had the men, and they were mounted; but less than 
two thirds of them were not yet equipped. And the 
standard of our discipline was quite as low as our drill, 
of which little could be said. Indeed the officers who 
ouo-ht to have taken hold and drilled their men either 
knew nothing whatever of cavalry, or spent the most of 
their time in some frivolous occupation. We were in- 



194 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

debtee! at last to Lieutenant Colonel Scliickfuss, an officer 
who knew his business, and was always ready to perform 
it, for taking hold of the regiment and improving its 
drill and discipline. Indeed, he had in a few weeks 
so improved our battalion and regimental drill that 
we performed some of the evolutions with commendable 
precision, and also began making scouts along the 
front. 

As-ain we were ordered to move, and on the 28th of 
October broke camp, and, by order of General Mc- 
Clellan, divided the regiment. Six companies, under 
command of Colonel Schickfuss, joined General Heintz- 
leman, at Fort Lyon, near Alexandria; the remainder, 
under Colonel McReynokls, joined General W. B. 
Franklin's division, at Fairfax Seminary. We were 
now fairly settled down with the Army of the Poto- 
mac. 

The country around Washington is remarkable for 
the picturesqueness of its hills and the beauty of its 
scenery. On one of the most prominent of these hills, 
and distinctly seen from Washington, stands Fairfax 
Seminary, distinguished before the war as one of the 
best conducted institutions of learning in Virginia. I 
doubt if our country affords a more charming picture 
of hill and dale tlmn that seen from tlie cupola of this 
Seminary. When tlie Army of the Potomac lay- 
stretched along these hills for a distance of twenty 
miles, with its showy paraphernalia flashing and gleam- 
ing among the oak-crowned slopes, the scene it presented 
was indeed grand and bewitching. The effect at night 
was beyond description, forming one of the most inter- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 195 

esting subjects for study and contemplation. If you 
looked East you bad the dusky old city of Alexandria, 
with its faint, dreamy lights, seeming to sleep at your 
feet, and the almost motionless Potomac cutting through 
the background like a belt of silver. I ascended to 
the cupola one night to view this grand and rare 
scene, and shall never forget the effect it had on my 
feelings. There was no moon, but the stars were out 
in their brightest, and not a clond tinged the clear blue 
sky. Not a bugle sounded, nor a drum beat. A mys- 
terious stillness hung over the earth that all at once 
seemed peopled with shadowy figures just transported 
from some fairy land. Far away in tlie North signal 
rockets were going up and mingling their bright colors 
with the brigliter stars. Then the answers to these 
appeared rising from those dark hills cutting the hori- 
zon in the direction of Fairfax Court House, in the 
West, and sailed through the air like birds of exquisite 
plumage. South, West, and North, as far as the eye 
could penetrate, the bright, flitting sliadows of twenty 
thousand camp fires were adding encliantment to the 
already touching scene. Then a misty glow spread 
over the heavens, and in it eacli figure of tliis vast camp 
was reflected in the clearest outlines. Anotlier chano-e 
came. The misty glow rolled up into fleecy clouds, 
and the illusion became so strong that all sorts of 
figures in real shape seemed taking the place of dancing 
shadows. Again and again these gave place to wliat 
seemed chariots and steeds, to long lines of horse and 
artillery, surging forward as if in pursuit of an enemy. 
Then came the soft, listing notes of a bugle, sounding 



lUli THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tattoo on tlie far-off fort. Another and another bugler 
followed, the accustomed ear detecting their identity, 
and their strains sounding louder and louder, echoing 
and re echoing over the hills in one grand chorus. 

And when the bugle sounds had ceased the bands 
struck up and played their martial airs with sucli har- 
mony and sweetness as made the broad landscape re- 
verberate with melody. 

Imagine, reader, if you can, what must have been the 
effect of this grand and exciting night scene, as seen 
when the earth was white wdth snow. I saw it once, 
and shall never forget it. The shadows of twenty 
thousand camp fires, spread for twenty miles over a 
range of sloping hills, were flitting and dancing over 
the clear, crusty surface, and reflecting strangely on 
the misty heavens. 

Our camp was close by the Seminary, and our white 
tents nestled on a hill sloping to the East and North, 
and studded wdth fine young oaks that formed a de- 
licious shade. We named it Camp Kearney, after the 
brave and generous General Kearney, who was now 
our neighbor next door. Indeed, our headquarters 
were separated from his by a picket fence. I may add, 
also, that he soon came to regard our regiment with 
the highest favor. Kearney had for headquarters an 
elegant mansion, supplied with all modern improve- 
ments, and from which a beautiful view of the surround- 
ing country was had. This mansion, with its grounds 
laid out with such good taste, was the property of a 
bishop, who had strayed from his flock when the war 
began, and gone down South, where " his sympathies'' 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 197 

were, to assist Mr. Davis in setting np his new govern- 
ment and developing the glories of human slavery. 

Our camp, too, was on clerical ground, for the 
garden our tents were pitched on was the property 
of a clergyman, whose comfortable villa we had taken 
for our regimental headquarters, and which was the 
scene of very many pleasant associations during the win- 
ter. Indeed, the good shepherd had no further use for 
his villa, having, as he said, elected to be loyal to his 
opinions and joined the southern army in the capacity 
of Chaplain. He left many little articles of furniture, 
which helped to increase our comfort during the win- 
ter. He also left us a lithographic likeness of himself, 
and a number of books on theology, of which we took 
scrupulous care, not permitting one of them to be re- 
moved, even by our own Chaplain, while we remained. 

The people in the neighborhood told us this clergy- 
man was a good and devout man, charitable to his ene- 
mies and generous to his friends; that he went away 
reluctantly when the war began, but that his trust was in 
God and the strength of southern arms; and he told them 
he would be back among them soon. He did not want to 
appear in the sight of Heaven as a man who Iiad been 
false to his opinions and his State. I have not a doubt 
that he was a firm believer in the " holy institution of 
slavery," and, according to the rule accepted among 
clergymen of Virginia, a good and devout man. But 
that he was misled by a popular fanaticism, fatal to the 
State and the cause of true religion, events have since 
proved. The opinions he entertained were at war with 
right, justice, and humanity. Indeed there was some. 



198 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tiling painful in the thought that clergymen anywhere 
should be the strongest advocates of human slavery. 
There would indeed be something to admire in the con- 
duct of men who give up home and everything that is 
dear to it for opinion's sake, were it not for the incon- 
sistency with which they set forth their love of State 
while denying their country. 



CHAPTER XX. 



APPROPRIATING OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY. 

Very many of the houses in this part of Fairfax 
county were spacious and airy, and indicating by their 
surroundings the wealth and taste of their owners. 
Pretty sloping lawns, dotted with fine old shade trees; 
gardens ornamented with rare shrubbery; and the 
crispy cedar hedges that lined tlie roads, gave a singu- 
lar charm to the landscape. In many instances the 
pictures here presented forcibly reminded one of the 
scenery in the west of England. In some of the houses 
pictures of some value were fou-nd; while in others 
were libraries of well selected and standard books — a 
good proof of the character and intelligence of their 
owners. 

Our army had not been long here when a change 
painful to contemplate came over the face of the coun- 
try, socially as well as physically. War was writing 
a new and dark chapter of history on this, the fairest 
portion of Virginia. And nowhere was this unsightly 
transformation more forcibly illustrated than in the 
vicinity of our camp. Landmarks of all kinds were 
disappearing, fields were no longer carpeted with green 

199 



200 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the iron lioof of war had tramped their surface into 

bald clay. Rude hands were destroying the dark cedar 
hedo-erows, gardens, orchards, and even the oak forests. 
And much of this was done in sheer wantonness. Even 
the fine old shade trees, with their broad embracing 
branches, giving such a picturesqueaess to the lawns, 
were being cut down and made fuel for camp fires. It 
was indeed sad to see how in a single month war had 
made desolate what it had taken a century to beautify 
and perfect. 

But even this desolation, as seen on the surface of 
the country, was not the worst punishment war was 
afaicting the people with. That was to be found in the 
almost daily acts of high-handed robbery of the private 
property of citizens, many of whom had had no hand 
whatever in the rebellion. It did indeed seem as if the 
spirit of plunder was destined to destroy the morale 
and discipline of our army. And I regret to say that 
some of the very worst cases of plundering on record 
were committed either by men in the uniform of offi- 
cers, or by those who would share with them the ill- 
gotten gains. 

Posterity will yet do justice to Generals McClellan 
and Franklin for their efforts to protect private prop- 
erty while in the enemy's country. But even their 
more stringent measures to prevent plundering failed 
to save the helpless citizen from the acts of the merce- 
nary wretches who bad connected themselves v/ith our 
army only to disgrace it, and to make enemies of men 
whom kindness and protection would have turned into 
true and substantial friends. The private soldier, be 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 201 

it said to his credit, had no part in this disgraceful 
work. Fairfax Seminary was plundered of its valua- 
ble iibrar}', of its works of art, of its scientific and 
musical instruments, of its furniture, and, indeed, every 
thing of value found within its walls. There was no- 
thing sacred to the despoilers. Even the wardrobes 
of the professors, who had left with the expectation of. 
returning soon, did not escape the fingers of tlie mer- 
cenary wretches who tliought it no disgrace to turn 
thieves in an enemy's country. This Seminary was, 
early in the war, turned into an hospital, and the person 
most prominent in plundering it of its contents was a 
woman who affected to perform the part of a Florence 
Nightingale in taking care of and administering to the 
wants of our sick soldiers, when in reality she was fill- 
ing and furnishing her house in New Jersey with prop- 
erty plundered from its halls. This, however, was 
but one case out of an hundred that might be cited. 
Such conduct deserved the severest punishment; not so 
much for the effect it had on the discipline of the army, 
as tlie fiict that it was cloaked by the very worst spe- 
cies cf Ijypocrisy. When this matter of phmdering 
tlie Seminary w^as brought to tlie notice of General 
Kcarncv, notliino: could have exceeded his indignation: 
but his efforts to bring i\iQ. perpetrators to justice failed. 
There was a higher power somewhere affording protec- 
tion to these miscreants, and the brave Kearney found 
liimsclf powerless to prevent them from carrying away 
tlieir plunder in safety. 

Private houses shared the same fate. Some of tlicsc 
Iiad been left in cliargc of housekeepers, or perhaps a 
10 



202 THE STORY 0^ A TROOPER. 

few old servants. This afforded an excuse to some of tlio 
field officers of our divison for taking " military posses- 
sion" of tliem, and setting up an elegant headquarters. 
It was not unfrequently said that the object of this 
"military possession" was to protect the property 
from injury by the soldiers. But I invariably noticed 
that the sort of protection the property received was 
very similar to that which General Milroy gave to the 
property of the people of Winchester. In truth, but a 
few weeks would pass after these gentlemen had set up 
their elegant headquarters, when the books, pictures, 
furniture, and even those little treasures so dear to 
friends, would mysteriously disappear, and there would 
be nothing left but the blank walls. If the truant 
owner ever returned, he would have to seek in some 
rural village of Pennsylvania for the articles his home 
was so comfortably furnished with before the war. 

You must not think, reader, that these despoilers 
intended their work as a punishment for the disloyal ; 
for even those who had looked to our army as a pro- 
tection against the folly of their own politicians, found 
themselves alike the victims of this greed for plunder. 
To such an exteut did this mercenary spirit develop 
itself, that nurses, surgeons, chaplains, and profess- 
ing philanthropists, became participants in theft, to 
the neglect of their proper duties. In truth, I have 
heard more than one of these professing philanthro- 
pists assert that there was no sia in " appropriating " 
property found in an enemy's country. There was a 
time when tlieft was publicly honored and rewarded in 
Sparta, under the delusion that thereby the interests 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 203 

of patriotism were encouraged and supported, and 
some of our people were copying* the example to an 
alarming extent. But there was this difference, that 
when our Spartans found nothing to plunder from the 
enemy, they turned their attention to our own hospi- 
tals, stripping them of the delicacies, clothing, and 
indeed all those supplies furnished so profusely by our 
Government for the sick. And even piety and charity 
were called in to furnish a cloak for these acts. The 
Government was not prompt in bringing these persons 
to justice, although its attention had been repeatedly 
called to their crimes. 

Now, here let me say a few words in regard to Gen. 
Franklin. Pitching his sim.ple tent on the brow of a hill, 
in the open field, here he remained during the whole 
winter, holding no communication but that of an 
official nature with the people, nor permitting himself 
or any of his staff to occupy their houses. His tent 
was his lieadquarters, and, like a true soldier, he never 
forgot that he was there to perform his duty to his 
God and his country. Quick to interpret between right 
and wrong, with a nature keenly susceptible to the de- 
mands of justice and true humanity, modest and unas- 
suming in his manners, a rigid disciplinarian, always 
encouraging by his example true manliness in his 
officers, it was his highest aim to promote the interests 
of his soldiers, and so increase their efficiency as to 
reflect honor on themselves and their country in the 
day of battle. By deciding such cases as were brought 
before him witli impartiality, and on their true merits, 
he soon gained the confidence and esteem of his soldiers, 



204 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and formed that firm structure known afterwards in 
the army as the " noble old Sixth Corps." lie was a 
stron^^ believer in the policy that it was our duty to 
fight and conquer the enemy wherever we found him in 
arms, but to render protection to the defenceless and 
innocent. He saw that in tlie early stages of the war 
we were too much inclined to yield to unnecessary 
fears, and thereby bring distress upon the innocent ; 
and he was too deep a thinker not to know that justice 
and moderation, wlien wielded in an enemy's country, 
form a mightier weapon than the sword. 

Franklin cherished an honest contempt for hypocrisy, 
in whatever form it showed itself; and so free was he 
in his manner of rebuking it when it interfered with the 
discipline of his troops, that the selfish and evil-minded 
began to misconstrue his acts, and even to whisper 
doubts of his ])atriotism. And these whispers soon 
reached and had their influence on persons in high 
places ; for it was one of the greatest evils of the day 
that ihc reckless and the ignorant found willing listen- 
ers for all their stories at the head of the Government. 
More particularly was this so v/hen they had charges 
to make asrainst a General who refused to sink the 
moralities of his manhood and war against the inno- 
cent a-s well as the guilty. People were not of one 
mind as to what caused the rebellion ; nor were our 
greatest and best public men agreed os to the policy 
we should pursue in putting it down. It was easy for 
the unprejudiced mind to see that many of the South- 
ern people, in entering the rebellion, vrere cither mis- 
guided by their lenders, or deluded ])y (heir ignor- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 205 

ance, the latter being the natural offspring of sla- 
very ; they, indeed, were not only hurried iiito wrong 
deeds, but were fostered into wrong sentiments after- 
wards. The reflecting mind finds no difficulty in dis- 
covering how easy these things are brought about 
under the influence of that cupidity and revenge which 
are so continually changing the sentiments of the hu- 
man heart. Franklin was too serious and calm a 
thinker not to comprehend this in all its details ; and 
hence his anxiety to be merciful to the innoccRt wliile 
punishing the guilty. In performing his duty to his 
country, he felt and acted like a man conscious that 
God is the true guardian of all just judgments, and 
that whatever earthly rulers may do, He will mete 
out justice to him who takes for his guides conscience 
and reason, truth and right. And from these guides 
no amount of political sophistry ever swerved General 
Franklin. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

A SCOUTING PARTY SURPRISED AND CAPTURED. 

November, 1861, was a storni}^, blustering month. A 
great deal of rain fell ; and the chilly, damp weather 
had a very severe effect on the health of the men. Our 
animals, too, were without shelter, and suffered in- 
tensely, many of them dying from sheer exposure and 
neglect. The opinioa prevailed among officers, not* 
withstanding the appearance now and then of a forward 
movement, that the Army of the Potomac would win- 
ter on these bleak hills. In short, we were in daily 
expectation of orders to go into winter quarters ; but 
none came. The men, however, began banking their 
tents, cutting ditches 'through their camps, and provid- 
ing themselves with all manner of little stoves. The 
officers put up comfortable huts, constructed of logs ; 
and when December came, the camps of .our division 
began to assume the appearance of a new settlement 
far away in the backwoods. Here was to be our home 
for the winter ; and he who did not put his house in 
order against the storm must suffer. A clump of woods 
near by was selected, and in it some of our companies 
put up rude but comfortable stables for their horses, 
the good effect of which soon began to show itself in 
their improved condition. 

206 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 207 

Just at this time tlie more impatient and tliouglitlcss 
of our people had again begun to clamor for an onward 
movement to Richmond or the removal of Gencj-al Mc- 
Clellan, of whom much more was demanded than it 
was in the power of man to perform. Those who knew 
anything of the real condition of our army, and the 
time it took to school our volunteer officers, so that 
they could perform properly those duties which the 
short-sighted were holding the commanding General 
responsible for, must have appreciated the utter folly 
of making such an attempt. But to appreciate the 
impediments in all their strength one must have a 
thorough knowledge of the rapid and wonderful changes 
that take place in the climate and soil of Virginia 
during winter. A day of sunshine and balmy breezes 
may be succeeded by snow and rain, driven by a ])ierc- 
ing wind, making roads good to-day impassable to- 
morrow. Man cannot control the elements, and even 
were we efficient in numbers and equipment, we could 
gain nothing by making a movement that after a single 
day^s march would find us fast in the tenacious clay, 
and with every stream so swollen as to render us help- 
less. 

The rebels were defiant in their strongholds at Ma- 
nassas and Centreville, and the question was frequently 
asked, why don't we drive them out? The answer is 
simply that they could do us no more harm at Manassas 
during the winter than if they had been in position 
around Richmond. In truth, their near proximity to 
our army served a good purpose in various ways. 1 1 
inspired vigilance in our men and afforded many oppor- 



208 THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 

tunities for testing the quality of our officers. It also 
served our interests to keep tlie enemy where he was 
until we could move with some certaint}; of success, 
since by so doing we were putting the burden of trans- 
portation on his shoulders and relieving our own. But 
I must return to our i egiment. 

1 have said before that six companies were for a time 
under the command of General Heintzleman, at Fort 
Lyons. The General had a happy way of always find- 
ing something for cavalry to do, and would frequently 
send them out to reconnoitre along his front, where 
there were several localities considered exceedingly dan- 
gerous. These reconnoissances came in time to be con- 
sidered very pleasant affairs, since the enemy was rarely 
seen, and many of the farmers along the road, affecting 
friendship, would supply the men with milk and other 
little things so much valued in camp. Our officers, too, 
would embrace these opportunities to cultivate friendly 
relations with their families. And to such an extent 
were these friendly relations carried that many of our 
officers began to forget that they were in a hostile 
country, with embittered enemies lurking in almost 
every house and clump of woods. 

On the yth of November, Captain Todd, with his 
company of troopers, and Colonel Berry, with a por- 
tion of the 4th Maine infantry, were ordered to make 
a reconnoissance, to proceed to and across the Accotink 
at what was known as the Bone Mill, and from thence 
south-eastwardly to Pohick Church, where they were 
to meet and communicate witli another force sent on a 
lower road. They proceeded as far as our outposts 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 2(J9 

at Mount Olivet Chapel, and there camped for the 
night. At daylight on the morning of tlie 10 th tliey 
formed in order and proceeded along the old Fairfax 
road, the infantry acting as flankers and skirmishers, 
for there were dense woods on both sides for nearly 
two thirds of the distance. The cavalry performed the 
duty of videttes. The Accotink was passed without 
seeing or hearing anything of the enemy ; and after 
turning into the road leading to Pohick Church, the 
command made a short halt. Then Lieutenant Innis, 
with most of the cavalry and a portion of the infantry, 
proceeded on ahead, and when they liad nearly reached 
Pohick Church discovered on the brow of a hill, and 
near a piece of woods, a force of infantrj^ and cavalry^ 
their arms gleaming in the sun, and which they mistook 
for the enemy. Our cavalry came scampering over 
the road, and, to tell the truth, considerably frightened, 
the Lieutenant reporting that he had come upon tlie 
enemy in force. There was no doubt of the force seen 
being composed of our own men ; but for reasons not 
necessary for me to explain here, they were not com- 
municated with. 

The force now began to return at a slow pace over 
the same road, the infantry in advance of the cavalry. 
The captain was a man of pleasant manners, disposed 
to be friendly with the formers and their families, and 
to treat them kindly. At this time lie was in just such 
a mood as you may suppose a man to be in when he 
has made a pleasant visit to a distant relative. The 
greater part of his company had preceded ijim nearly 
half a mile ; and he had with him only a bugler, a ser- 
10- 



210 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

geant, and tliree or four privates. On rcaciiing the 
vicinity of the bone mill, a halt was made at the gate 
of a fine old farm-house, about which there was an air 
of comfort not common in that part of the country. 
lie walked up to the door and was met by the ladies 
of the house, who received him with marked cordiality, 
the men having all "gone South." He was invited 
into their parlor, and the ease and gentleness of their 
manners so captivated the gallant captain as to make 
him resolve within himself that hereafter his sword 
should be at the service of Apollo, not Mars. Dusky 
servants hied here and there, brought out the whitest 
linen, and to such hospitalities as the house afforded 
the captain was invited to sit down. Was it some 
beautiful, some sweet dream, that was weaving such a 
charm about his too susceptible heart ? Never before 
had he felt so much poetry in his nature ; never before 
had he fallen in with such charming society. Could it 
be that we were at war with our blood, with a people 
whose families were ideals of love and tenderness? 

Wbat to him were liis troopers, 

With clattering sabres arid glistening steel ; 

The fair angel beside him had golden hair. 

The lady of the house engaged him in conversation, 
while her beautiful daughter, a delicate flower that had 
just bloomed into her seventeenth summer, sat down to 
the piano and won his heart with a song. The captain 
has said many times since that this damsel had the face 
of an angel and voice of a bird. But lie never for a 
momen . thought that these charms form a dangerous 
power — one which even mouarchs have found irresist- 
ible. 



HE STORY OF A TROOPEll. 211 

And as there must be an end to all things earthly, so 
it was with our Captain's first visit ; he parted from 
his amiable acquaintances with many expressions of 
regret and ]/roniises to call again. He now set off at 
a brisk gallop, hoping soon to come up with his com- 
mand, which Iiad halted some distance ahead. He had 
crossed the Accotink, and just turned into a road lead- 
ing at right angles to the one he had been following, 
and through a dense wood. A few paces further, and 
the quick, sharp sound of rifles sounded on the air, the 
bugler fell dead from his horse, another of the men 
was severely wounded, and the Captain's horse shot 
from under him. A dozen men rushed from their place 
of ambush, and in auotlicr minute Captain Todd and 
his wounded companion were hurried into the thicket 
and made prisoners. A small squad of his men came 
riding back at a full gallop, when they were fired at 
by the secreted enemy, and thrown into confusion. At 
this time several of the men were wounded, a number 
of horses captured, and three more prisoners added to 
the list. Tlie whole scene must have been enacted 
within sound of the main body of the cavalry and a 
portion of the infantry; but either from stupidity or 
want of courage on the part of- the officers in command 
not the slightest effort was made either to recapture 
the prisoners or punish their captors. There were not 
more tlian ten or twelve of the enemy, at most, and 
they were permitted to carry off their prisoners and 
plunder unmolested. 

Tlie Captain's dream of love and beauty had suddealy 
changed. He was a captive, in the hands of ruda 



212 THE STOlir OF A TROOPEli. 

rebels, men of our own blood, to be sure, but fierce ntid 
cruel. Indeed, these men of our own blood found pleas- 
ure, and even amusement, in treating their prisoners 
harshly. After stripping them of nearly everything (^f 
value they possessed, they were compelled to march all 
night tlirough mud and rain, and kept without foud for 
nearly thirty hours. Not even the wounded were ex- 
empt from this harsh treatment. On reaching Manassas 
the Captain found himself an object of intense-curiosity, 
for a rumor had spread through the rebel camp that a 
brother of Mrs. President Lincoln had been captured; 
and not a few insisted that he could be nothing less 
than a spy. Indeed, it was not until the real brother 
of Mrs. Lincoln, then on duty at Manassas, corrected 
the slander, that the Captain enjoyed any peace of mind. 
The prisoners were a few days afterwards sent to 
Libby prison, wiiere they remained guests for several 
months. The Captain, I am informed, has not made a 
second visit to those amiable ladies, having uade up 
his mind that appearances are very deceptive. 



C II A P T E R X X J I . 



A NEW CHARACTER, AND AN AMUSING ADVENTURE. 

Wo had got into December, the weather was clear 
nnd fine, and the roads fast coming into good condition. 
Our regiment was together again, in Camp Kearney, 
and better satisfied at being iinder the command of 
General Franklin. Onr time was employed doing 
picket duty, and scouting along our front from Fall's 
Church to tlie quiet little tov/n of Annandale, the in- 
habitants of which were more than once seriously 
alarmed by our dashes through their streets. We 
would also make frequent expeditions beyond our lines 
into the enemy's country, sometimes to procure forage, 
at others to observe the enemy. The farmers were not 
inclined to approve our mode of relieving them of their 
Furplus forage, and would frequently protest against 
it. and even assert that they were loyal to our cause 
a? a means of protecting it. These little attentions ou 
(,\)r port the enemy would frequently repay with com- 
pour.d ihterest. If he did not get even with us in the 
mailer of forage he was sure to be more than square in 
jirisor.ers. Indeed, he had an impudent way of coming 
into our lines, deceiving and capturing our pickets; 

213 



214 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

sometimes lie would carry off a whole outpost in tlie 
most cool manner. He had also a mysterious process 
of obtainini^ our siirnals from day to day : and these 
he ^YOuld turn to his own advantage. In truth he could 
beat us at inventing mischief and taking advantage of 
circumstances. . He had his spies everywhere, and his 
secret telegraph, it was clear, extended into the highest 
places of our Government. 

There joined us about this time a sturdy and remark- 
able Irishman, a man of great power and strengtli, ol 
the name of Alexander. He was a fellow of infinite 
humor and great nimbleness of tongue, ready always 
to fight with or do a favor for any man in the regiment. 
Fists, sabres, or pistols were equally in favor with him, 
and the man who opp6sed him could have his choice. 
He would make friends with all the distressed damsels 
in the neighborhood, and would spend his next month's 
pay account, and as much more as he could raise, to 
relieve their wants. Alex, for such was the name he 
went by, never was known to throw whisky over his 
shoulder, and no man wanted for a bottle while he had 
a dollar in his pocket. His mind seemed to be con- 
tinually at war with the sutler and Major A^on Flopp. 
He would propose 4o buy out the former's traps and 
distribute them among the men; the latter he always 
wanted to get into a fight, merely for the amusement 
of others. Indeed, Yon Flopp became so alarmed at 
the queer pranks this brusque Irishman would cut that 
he held his life unsafe while in his company, and, in 
accordance with wliat he considered prudence and wis- 
dom, never crossed his path if he could reach his tent 
bv any other road. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 215 

Alex was soon favored with a Lieutenant's commis- 
sion, and in time became amusement for the wliolo 
camp, for he could play a good flute, sing a good song, 
sound a good bugle, beat any man at telling an im- 
probable story, and furnisli a dancing party with music 
on the violin. His exploits in Western Virginia, per- 
formed since the time I write of, have given him a 
i\ame among the people of that region, that will live 
long after this war. He had served, too, in the regu- 
lar cavalry, and bad seen active service in California, 
where he made an extraordinary escape from his ene- 
mies by riding forty miles on the bare back of a mule, 
and in no other uniform than his shirt. And this ex- 
traordinary feat was performed at night, in a drenching 
rain. 

Now it so liappened one day thatour good Chaplain, 
who had been sharing Alex's bottle somewhat freely, 
got into a quarrel with him on a matter of religion. 
But the question, not being very clearly understood by 
either gentleman, soon shifted to one of muscle. The 
Chaplain, I may mention, was a man of good fighting 
qualities, and loosing Ids temper at the moment de- 
clared it useless to argue with a fellow whose head 
was incapable of comprehending the simplest question 
of the Trinity. Here was an opportunity of accommo- 
dating the camp with a fight of a very novel and inter- 
esting character. 

The Lieutenant was quick to doff his coat and invite 
the Chaplain to do the same. He liad been insulted, 
and must,have satisfaction. The parson began quietly 
to put off his coat and lay aside his spectacles, while 



216 THE STORY OF A TllOOPER. 

the Lieutenant brouglit out a pair of huge pistols, and 
called in several of the officers who had been attracted 
to the scene to measure the ground and see fair play. 
He then picked up a couple of sabres, and handing one 
to the parson, whose countenance assumed an air of 
surprise, said in an emphatic tone: "Here! your 
reverence — pistols or sabres ? There is no passing this 
fight ; and we'd as well get the job over afore sunset. 
Send for a doctor at once.'' 

'' Sinner that I am," muttered the parson, confusedly, 
'* to be seen with this sabre in my hand when it is the 
Bible I should have had.'' 

The Domiiiie was evidently taken at a disadvantage, 
and became somewhat pale and nervous, for he remem- 
bered that be was not skilled in the use of either of 
these death-dealing weapons. Happily at this moment 
Major V^on Flopp, preceded by Crump, the bugler, 
made his appearaace, and began pumping up his cour- 
age to the highest guage. 

'' Good heavens ! your reverence Is not going to fight 
with this Irish Lieutenant, who is not your equal, and 
would like nothing better than furnishing the camp 
with a funeral every day — " 

Yon Flopp made a low bow, and was about to pro- 
ceed further, when the parson interrupted, and in a 
a manner that surprised and confounded him. 

" Am I to be insulted in this way?" said the parson, 
" and by one I took for a frieiid ?" 

'' Heavens, me !" interposed Von Flopp, " there is 
not a man in camp that does not take me for an enemy, 
do what I will to oblige him." Then raising his voice, 



THE STOllY OF A TROOPER. 217 

he continued : " I was goino: to say, yonr reverence, 
that as I was ranking officer present, and no officer 
of the day on the ground, I would order this Irishman 
in arrest, and have him tried by court-martial for con- 
duct disrespectful to our chaplain." 

"Have you no manners, Major?" interposed the par. 
son, in an angry tone, " 1 an Irishman, and you insult 
me by casting reflections on an Irisliman ! It is said 
every fool pays dear for liis folly." He was about to 
proceed further, wlien the Lieutenant, who had sent 
one man for the doctor and another for a friend, in the 
warmest gush of his nature, grasped the parson firmly 
by the hand. " If you'll pass the quarrel 1 will," said 
he. " There's no cause of light atwecn us, onyhow. 
And here's the man as '11 be yer friend in ail future 
quarrels ye may have." 

They shook liands and exchanged other tokens of 
future friendship. The Lieutenant, who liad been cast- 
ing wicked glances at Von Flopp, drew his sabre and 
ruslied at the doughty Major, who took to his heels 
and ran faster than he liad ever been known to do be- 
fore. Indeed he ran far beyond the limits of the camp, 
the Lieutenant close at his heels; and in attempt- 
ing to get over a fence tumbled into a deep ditch of 
mud and water, from which he was extricated in as 
sorry a plight as man ever was seen in, and so fright- 
tened tliat nothing was seen of him in camp for several 
days. 

"It was tlie mission of Him who came on earth to 
save us all, to preserve peace between men." The 
speaker was a meek lltt'e man, with a smooth, round 



21b THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

face, and his liair parted over tlie center of his head. 
On hearing that there was a fight between an Irish 
Lieutenant and the Chaplain, he liad forced his way 
through the crowd and into the presence of the latter, 
who was still holding the sabre in his hand. 

"And pray, who are you?" inquired the Dominic, 
replacing his spectacles, and fixiug his eyes on him. 

" I am a worker in the holy cause of the Christian 
Commission," responded the man. "Have been dis- 
tributing tracts and socks through the camps, and pray- 
ing with the sick in your hospitals. And may heaven 
give me strength to do this good work well, for thei-e 
is much need of it. The flock looks to us for example ; 
and it is meet that we set tliem a f?ood one." Pie said 
no more, but quietly took his departure. And such 
was the force of the rebuke that the Dominie put the 
sabre away and sinking into a chair wept like a child. 

A few days after what I have related above hap- 
pened, a squadron of Von Flopp's battalion was or- 
dered to proceed over the Little River Turnpike on a 
reconnoissance, with orders to proceed as far as possi- 
ble in the direction of Fairfax Court House. The 
squadron was mounted and ready to march, wlien A^on 
Flopp made his appearance in camp, boiling over with 
courage. He was in a new uniform, ornamented with 
much lace, prodigiously booted and spurred, and armed 
to the very teeth, if I may use a phrase so common 
anions: writers on the war. Indeed no less than four 
pistols hung from liis belt, while his sabre was of un- 
common length, and kept up such a clattering as he 
paced to and fro before his tent, casting a challenging 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 219 

glance at each officer as lie passed, as mucli as to say : 
'' You took me for a fool and a coward ; but now if 
you want a quarrel — here's your man." Once or twice 
the Irish Lieutenant passed liim, and as he did the Ma- 
jor would strike the Lilt of his sabre violently and 
assume a defiant air. 

No sooner was Von Flopp in camp than he began giv- 
ing all sorts of orders to all sorts of persons, creating 
general disturbance. He sent buglers .one way, order- 
lies another, and servants another. Then he set Crump 
to sounding all sorts of calls, none of which either 
officers or men couid understand. A servant brought 
liis horse, when he mounted and commenced cavorting 
up and down in front of the officers' tents, which was 
the signal for all sorts of shouts and cries from the 
men, upon several of which he made a charge with his 
sabre drawn. And this sad state of things was not 
put an end to until the Colonel came out and reproached 
Von Flopp for his folly; in fine, calling him a fool and 
threatening to order him in arrest for disturbing the 
peace of the camp. 

He now claimed the right to command the squadron, 
and there being no other way of of keeping him from 
doing further harm in camp, (except placing him in ar- 
rest,) the Colonel granted his request, much to the dis- 
o-ust of the officers, who knew there was no better way 
of putting an end to the uselessness of the expedition. 

The day was fine, however, and the sqiiaxlrun pro- 
ceeded along the Little River Turnpike at a brisk trot, 
the Major accompanied by his faithful bugler, and in 
th« rear, for he asserted tliat it was written in all 



220 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

books on war he had ever read that no commanding 
officer, on whose life so much depended, would ever 
think of advancing into an enemy's country at the head 
of his command. It was in vain that the officers as- 
sured him we were at least eight miles from our picket 
line, and would not be considered in the enemy's country 
until we had got beyond it. Officers as well as men were 
disposed to make merry with him, and various plans to 
get liim to ride at the head of the column were resorted 
to in vain. He assured his officers, when told there 
was not the slightest danger, that it was not danger 
but respect for the rules of war that shaped his con- 
duct. " It will not do," he would say, " for an officer 
hio-h in command to trust to luck for hi? life. You 
know there's no knowing what our enemies may do 
with a man of my rank when they get him." 

In order to change the subject somewhat, the Major 
began to give the officers an amusing account of the 
numerous affairs of honor he had been engaged in, 
from Tennessee to California. I say amusing, for tuey 
afforded his hearers much merriment. Out of these 
little affairs he had always come out a hero, in high fa- 
vor with all the women of the neighborhood in which 
they were enacted. 

The squadron had now reached Benton's Tavern, 
where we had a station, and a company of infantry. 
The officer in command had his guard turned out to 
salute the cavalry, and the men, seeing the Major, be- 
gan to cheer heartily, for his fame had spread through- 
out the division, and there was scarcely a man in it 
who did not know him. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 221 

*' These men are cheering in honor of you, Major 
^on Flopp," said one of the officers, riding up and 
touching his hat respectfully. 

" I take it !" replied the Major ; " you are right. 
Lieutenant ; and it is only right and polite that I thank 
them in a speech. Let the squadron be halted.'' 

The order was quickly obeyed ^and the command 
formed in line, facing the infantry, two deep. Tliis 
done, the Major rode to the center, and raising his hat 
began to speak thus : " I always did respect soldiers ; 
and now I love them because they have so many 
hardships and so few comforts. And this I can tell 
you of myself, that if I was not edycated to the pro- 
fession of arms — not ground out at West Point — I was 
born of a military family. And if a man be born of a 
military family and the blood of the soldier be in liis 
veins, that's enough for me." He continued in this 
strain, discoursing of himself, of the high political po- 
r^ilions he had held, and the great sacrifices he had 
made to join the army, for nearly fifteen minutes, and 
until the men began to turn what he said into ridicule, 
for indeed they saw that he was either a fool or the 
strongest sort of an egotist. 

The officer in command of the station at length lost 
his temper, and interrupted the Major's speech in a 
very rude manner. Indeed he called him a balloon 
[i. e. a gas bag.) and various other names not recorded 
in the reo-ulations. He also declared that if he did not 
take himself off he would report him at headquarters 
for disturbing the peace and discipline of liis post. This 
BO astonii^hed and sururised the T^laior that he called 



222 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

loudly for Crump, saying it would not do to pay this 
rude fellow any further respect. 

Crump sounded liis bugle, the troopers wheeled into 
line, and in another minute were moving forward in the 
best of temper. But the Major did not relish this want 
of respect to a superior officer. And after proceeding 
a few minutes in silence he called one of the officers to 
him, saying : " Kri0wi:]g you to be a friend and no en- 
emy of mine, I would have you make note of what this 
Captain of infantry said to me. He called me a bal- 
loon, mind you ; and what could be more insulting to 
the honor of a soldier? Mind you, gentlemen, he is 
only a Captain of infantry ; and talks in this way to 
a field officer of cavalry. He shall be court-martialed, 
gentlemen. He called me a balloon, which means a 
wind bag; you shall be my proof of that." 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



SURPRISE OF MAJOR TON FLOOP AT THE CONDUCT OF AN INDIGNANT 
FEMALE— MORE INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS OFFICERS AS TO HOW WAU 
OUGHT TO BE CARRIED ON— CAPTURE OF AN I3IP0RTANT PRISONER 
AND WHO UE TURNED OUT TO BE. 

The troopers had not proceeded many miles be3^ond 
Benton's Tavern, when they came to a neat little farm- 
house, at the door of which a woman of respectable 
appearance, and well dressed, stood looking anxiously 
at tlie column. The Major immediately began to rein 
in his horse and put on the best appearance he was ca- 
pable of. He also called Crump, the bugler, saying : 
" When you have sounded a trot, you will follow me, 
for I intend to make my compliments to the lady you 
see there." 

He also told tlie officers that it would not do for him 
to pass without paying his respects to this lady, ascer- 
taining wliat her politics were, and what news she had 
concerning the rebel arm3^ " And you will see, gen- 
tlemen," said he, " tliat it \^ill not take me long to win 
her aifcctions. Never saw a woman yet I could'nt 
make an impression on at fir^t sight ; and I say this 
not boasting." In another minute he was prancing up 
to tlie gate, followed by his faithful bugler. The wo- 

223 



224 THE STORY OF A T800PEH. 

man stood almost motionless as the Major alighted and 
advanced up the path with an air of great self-confi- 
dence, for he was in full feather, and no general in the 
army liad more brilliant trappings for his horse. 

As he was about to ascend a few steps that led to 
the door the woman made a backward motion, as if to 
retire. " I would speak to you, Madame,'* said the 
Major, raising his hat with his left hand, and frisking 
the lingers of his left tlirough his bushy hair. " I am 
an officer of the Federal army, and want to prove to 
you that I am no enemy — " 

" Yeou arn't a bit better nor the rest on'em,'"' inter- 
rupted the woman in an angry tone, disappearing into 
her house and shutting the door." Never was door so 
quickly shut in a man's face. 

" Zounds, me !" ejaculated the Major, " the woman 
has misunderstood me. Don't you think she has, 
Crump?" This last sentence was addressed to the 
little bugler, who had dismounted and joined him, in 
the hope of sharing any milk and hoe-cake that might 
result from his master's visit. 

''' Reckon not," replied Crump. " These seccsh wo- 
men don't make friends easy." 

Of all the rebuffs the Major had received thero was 
none that took snich a deep effect on his feelings as this. 
lie looked north and he looked soutli ; he first rubbed 
his hands and then his head. How could he stand such 
a cold, stinging defeat as this, inflicted by a woman? 
And this, too, wlienit had been truly said of him that 
no woman's heart was safe when he was near. Thus 
mused our crest-fallen hero, until the troopers had nearly 
pasocd beyond ^^igtit. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 225 

" I once knew a woman," said Crump, suggestively, 
'* who shut the door in a man's face, and what com'd 
his best friend after. I'd knock at the door, Major.^' 

"This is a good suggestion of yours, Crump," re- 
plied the Major, regaining his courage. " I knew a 
woman marry a man two days after she liad shut the 
door in his face." Thus saying he ascended the steps 
and tapped gently at the door, while he bent his head 
in a listening attitude. There was no response. Again 
and again he tapped in the same gentle manner. 

" Thar now, jist you git away. Ye'h arn't a bit bet" 
tcr nor the rest o' them Yankees. Ye'd steal my chick- 
ens jist as soon as them tother fellers," said the woman, 
replying from within. 

'' Worse and worse !" exclaimed the Major. " If 
these women will have us enemies when we come to 
make peace witli them, what are we to do? We must give 
this matter up, Crump, for tliere is no making a woman 
polite when she makes up her mind she won't be. But 
say not a word about it to the officers." Giving up in de- 
spair, he mounted his horse and set off at a full gallop in 
pursuit of his troop, which he found halted at our outer 
picket post, on a liill overlooking Annandaic and the 
plains beyond. Colonel Pinto was in command here, 
and when tlie Major came up was sharing what broth- 
erly love there was left in his bottle with our officers. 
Of course, tie Major was invited, and, in addition, 
treated to a bowl of soup, whicli hospitality lie was re- 
solved to repay in his usual manner. " You are a 
brave and gallant man, Colonel Pinto ; and now that 
I have the honor of shaking so famous a military 
11 



226 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

man by the hand, I will say that I consider you in 
every way worthy of being placed at this post of 
danjrer and honor." Here he made a low bow, and 
continued : " You shall have fame, sir, in accordance 
witli your- merits ; and I will see that what you have 
performed here on this outpost shall be set forth in the 
newspapers, for I feed and have a large acquaintance 
uith a number of fellows who write for them." The 
Colonel smiled and blushed, for he was a modest man, 
and had never before had his merits so openly sounded. 
Indeed he began to wish the Major at least ten miles 
away in the enemy's country. 

" You shall have the honor to receive a good report 
of this expedition of mine into the enemy's country. 
The Commanding General has great confidence in me, 
and said as I was coming away : ' If you meet the en- 
emy, Major, crush him.' Yes, sir, and it shall be done, 
too. If fortune favors me so much as to tlirow the 
€nemy in my way he shall be scattered right and left, 
and banished — yes, sir, banished clean out of sight. 
Sir, you must know that the only true way to carry on 
war is to first frighten your enemy and then scatter 
him. Frighten him first and you can always whip him 
after." There can be little doubt tliat Von Flopp's 
policy of conducting the war was treated with serious 
consideration by men whose duty it was to sliape the 
military affairs of the nation, when the war began. " If 
you can't frighten a man you can't whip him,'' conclu- 
ded the Major ; " and if you can't whip him so that he'll 
stay whipped, why, there's no victory." 

An ofiicer of his own troop, seeing that if he went 



THE STOY OF A TROOPER. 227 

on much longer.iii this strain he would discover himself 
the fool he really was, inquired wliat success he had 
with tlie lady at whose house he called. " You would 
have been astonished, gentlemen, at the heartiness of 
the welcome I received. Asked me into the parlor, 
brought out a table, and spread it with the very best. 
She on parting made nic promise never to pass that 
way without stopping and spending an hour. The 
poor woman (he assumed an air of sympathy) was in a 
sad state of mind concerning her husband and son, who 
were in the Southern army." Then shaking his head, 
he said, " I parted from the lady reluctantly, I did." 

Crump, who had been listening to his master's ac- 
count of his visit, began first to stretch his mouth wide 
open, then to put the bugle to his lips and caper round 
like a merry-Andrew, to the surprise of the soldiers 
near by. When asked by one of them to explain his 
i!onduct, he replied in a whisper : " Should like to see 
the man who could tell a better lie nor my master, or 
blow his own horn louder." 

The Major would have remained here recounting the 
pleasures of his reception until sun-down, had not the 
senior Captain ordered ''boots and saddles" called, 
and indeed taken it upon himself to put the troops in 
motion. 

When the Major had mounted his horse, he extended 
his hand to Colonel Pinto, saying : " And now, sir, 
I must part with you, for the service demands that I 
go and perform the duties of a soldier. Sir, you have 
treated me like a gentleman, and I part with you reluc- 
tantly. Your subordinate, at the post below, is no gen- 



228 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tleraan. He called me a balloon, yes, sir, a balloon ! 
and Ibc insult is tliat balloon means a wind bacr. He 
shall be brought before a court-martial and punished 
for his insult." 

He now put spurs to his liorse and proceeded after 
his troops at full gallop, the little bugler cIosq at his 
heels, and blowing the most shrill sounds his liorn was 
capable of. Half an hour more and the column disap- 
peared beyond our lines, preceded by an advance guard, 
and flankers out riglit and left. Officers as well as 
men were inclined to have their measure of jokes with 
the Major, and when they had got about four miles 
beyond our lines two of the advance guard and an 
ofiicer, whose name it will not be necessary to mention 
here, came galloping back in a state of great anxiety, 
and reported tliat a force of the enemy was posted just 
on the edge of a clump of wood, and could be seen 
from a bit of elevated ground a few rods ahead. He 
had a battery and a flag-staff, with infantry supports 
just in the edge of the wood. 

The Major became suddenly pale, and was also 
seized with a trembling in his limbs. He ordered 
Crump to sound a halt, which the column quickly 
obeyed, and came to a rest in the road. " And now, 
gentlemen," said the Major, addressing tlie oflicers as 
they gathered round liim, preserving an air of great 
seriousness, " afi'airs look serious, and we must consult 
together as to what is to be done." 

" We are here for tliat object. Major," they replied, 
" and to get your orders as to how the troops shall 
move and be disposed, and if we are to make an attack, 
to get your plan." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 229 

"How would you have me give you a plan without 
knowing the strength of the enemy ? " returned the 
Major. 

"If you will proceed with me to the front, sir/' in- 
terposed one of the officers, " we will go near enougli 
to make a correct estimate of tlieir strength.'' 

" I know you for a man of truth and a good soldier," 
resumed the Major, '' and will take your word tliat the 
enemy is in stronir force. There is a latin maxim 
somewhere that says, prudence is necessary to success 
in war. And there is anotlier maxim somewhere that 
says, it is not wisdom, for a commanding officer to ex- 
pose himself unnecessarily at the front when careless 
firing is going on." YonFlopp insisted on makinghis 
headquarters where he was, while two of the lieuten- 
ants went to the front to get a more correct view of 
the enemy. Presently one of them came riding back, 
saying the enemy was but a mere handful, and could 
be easily whipped and captured. 

" Roast me ! " exclaimed the Major, pumping up his 
courage, " we must not let this chance slip. They must 
be crushed, gentlemen, crushed ! And if we can't crush 
them we must frighten them first, and then scatter 
tliem — '' 

The officers here interrupted by demanding to know 
in what order the troops should move, for there was 
no time to be lost. 

"Gentlemen," he answered, rubbino: his head, "I 
am not an adept in your military technicalities got at 
West Point, and liave not at my tongue the exact 
orders it would be neccssarv to i^-ive in makinir the 



230 THE STORY OF A TROOPER, 

movement you are to make. But if a man liave mili- 
tary aptness, as I have, they will come to him as Well 
out of West Point as in. Roast me! if a man can't 
be a good General without being learned with West 
Point knowledge. Listen now to what I say. Divide 
your forces; let one go to the right, and the other go 
to the left; then Crump and the other bugler shall 
gallop along the front and sound their bugles. Tliis 
will surely frighten the enemy; then when you seehiin 
beirin to shake in his boots, dash in and scatter him. 
That's the way to properly conduct the war. Find out 
where the enemy's fears lay, and when well frightened 
vou can capture liim without shedding a drop of 
blood. "" 

A sergeant of the advance guard now rode up and 
reported that the enemy was discovering himself in tlie 
edge of the wood and advancing rapidly in strong fore. 

The officers preserved an air of great anxiety, and 
again appealed to the Major for his plan of action. 

" This changes the whole complexion of things,'' 
said the Major, making a motion to mount liis horse. 
"Prudence is necessary to overcome trouble; and it 
looks as if there was to be trouble enougli here. I 
have it now, I liave it ! My orders are only to observe 
the enemy; not to make a demonstration. It follows 
then that if the enemy does not run away from us we 
must get away from him. Them's our orders, you see. 
So do you order a retreat; that it may be said we fdl 

* It was evident that the Major had acquired his railitary science 
by reading Schencji's history of Vienna and Butler's expedition to 
Big Bethel. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 



231 



back before superior numbers. If we cannot frighten 
them and scatter them we must fall back. That's my 
plan, gentlemen; and if it be not a good one I have no 
failh in your high science got at West Point." 

The Major mounted his horse, and was about to 
commence the retreat, when the other Lieutenant, who 
had gone to the front, rode back to say that a closer 
observation had revealed the fact that what appeared 
to be a battery and a flag-staff was only a cow with 
her tail up, and the infantry supports were only a 
row of young saplings. A scene of merriment fol- 
lowed tills announcement such as I cannot describe 
here, but which for a time completely destroyed all 
order and discipline. The Major declared he could 
not appreciate it; and as he had taken no part in pro- 
ducing it, so they must not make him share its dishonor. 
*• If you had performed your duty properly, officers of 
the advance guard," he said, assuming an air of pro- 
found wisdom, " the history of our war would not have 
been disgraced by this affair." The gallant Major 
could not see that he had bee.i ^nade the victim of what 
might have turned out to be a very serious joke. 

The troops soon moved forward and reached a high 
piece of ground within a few miles of I'airfax Court 
House, the dome of which was plainly in sight. Here 
the enemy's pickets were discovered on the edge of a 
belt of wood, just beyond a^i open field. They began 
making a movement as soon as our men discovered 
themselves. Then a number of their cavalry appeared 
in sight and began to advance, as if with the intention 
of off-rincr battle. Of course this was the signal for 



232 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

V 

considerable excitement, and Major Yon Flopp, who 
had resolved not to " smoke liis new uniform," and kept 
at a prudent distance in the rear, was called upon to 
know what was to be done. The men were in fine 
spirits, and began to engage the enemy in a free and 
easy sort of a way, without orders. 

" Do ? that is the great question," replied Von Flopp, 
nervously. " D — 1 take rae if I know what to do." And 
he scratched up his thoughts and struck the hilt of his 
sabre. *' This is an important matter, gentlemen, and 
no subject to laugli over just now," he resumed, notic- 
ing that some of the officers wore smiling at his inno- 
cence. " Things have a serious look; but I would have 
you bear in mind, gentlemen, that the battle was not 
brought on by m}' orders; and if there's a defeat don't 
make me responsible for it. 1 have, heard it said that 
cavalry should not fight without infantry for supports." 
The Major became evidently agitated, and as the firing 
increased lost all control over himself, and declared it 
his intention to go ba'^k to Colonel Pinto and bring up 
a force of infantry, it not boing prudent to trust the 
honor of the nation to tliose cavalrymen. And he would 
liave returned but for one of the ofS".crs, wJio assured 
him that it would bo extremely dangerous for an officer 
of his rank to pass over a road infested with rebels. 
There was anotlicr and more serious obstacle to the 
Major's return. Crump was at tlie front, making all 
sorts of noises on his bugle, ajid increasing the excite- 
ment. Yon Flopp would not think of travelling a mile 
without his faitliful bugler. 

The skirmishing was kept up for more than half an 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 2-33 

hour, and was remarkable only for the little harm done 
to either side. Indeed, if I remember right, the only 
damage done was to the Mojor's nerves, for the enemy 
kindly kept beyond carbine range, and we very pru- 
dently followed his example. 

On the return of the troops Yon Flopp recovered 
his courage and became marvellously brave. He pro- 
ceeded to show that the expedition had gained a great 
victory; and that in all but one of its results had been 
highly satisfactory to him, and he would take it upon 
himself to see tha it was properly announced to the 
nation. 

One of the officers wanted to know what the excep- 
tion was. " Prisoners, sir, prisoners," replied Von 
Flopp. " If we had taken a few prisoners we miglit 
have had it a grand affair in the newspapers." They 
had not proceeded far, however, when one of the ser- 
geants, seeing a side road, dashed down it at a brisk 
gallop, as if to see where it led to, and what was to be 
found on it. 

" That sergeant is a brave fellow," said one of the 
officers. 

" Were it not that he takes too much on himself, and 
acts as if he had a commission in his pocket, he might 
set up for the bravest man in the regiment," rejoined 
another. "He never waits for orders, but is always 
dashing offin search of adventure — " 

"It is my opinion, gentlemen," interposed a third 
officer, "that the regiment has no braver officer thnn 
Major Yon Flopp." 

Yon Flopp caught the compliment, and raised his 
11^ 



234 THE STORY OF A TROOPEK. 

hat in appreciation of it. " Time's coming, gentlemen/' 
said he, his hat still raised, " when you will not call 
me a fool, but do justice to my courage. If, therefore, 
you accept what you ha^e spen as a proof of this ser- 
geant's courage, I will show you that your command- 
ing officer is not behind any man." Thus saying he 
called Crump, ordered him to sound his bugle, and in 
another minute was dashing after him, the sergeant, at 
full speed. The men were astonished and amused at 
this strange scene, and cheered the Major at the very 
top of their yoices. 

He had proceeded only a mile down the road, when 
he came up with the sergeant, who was holding a par- 
ley with a man of strange appearance, and, as he said, 
suspicious action. The sergeant, who was zealous in 
the discharge of his duty, had just met the man " comb- 
ing across a field." The man was extremely lean of 
figure, wore a soft white hat, bound with a sash of dce[) 
crape. His clothes were of brown homespun, and very 
shabby. Altogether he was a fine specimen of wlmt 
might be accepted as the shabby genteel gentleman of 
Old Yirginia. His hands were small and white, an air 
of melancholy shadowed a countenance on which care 
and disappointment had written deep furrows, and his 
manners indicated that he had seen better days. 

" Arrested this man," said the sergeant, saluting llie 
Major, "because he was found under suspicious circum- 
stances. He came ont of the woods yonder — tells 11 lo 

d st story you ever heard — it don't hang togethci-, 

thon,ixh." 

" You^'e right, sergeant, you are a Irave fellow. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 235 

But the prisoner belongs to me," replied Yon Flopp. 
'' He's a spy ! There's no getting over that, because 
he looks just like a spy. Roast me! I'd not be sur- 
prised if he was a bushwhacker." Then turning to 
the prisoner, who was nervous and confused, he contin- 
ued. " It'll go hard with you. Yes it will. You're a 
bushwhacker and a spy, and you know you are. You 
may lie as fast as a rain storm, but you can't deceive 
me." Here the Major began flourishing his sabre, 
which so alarmed the poor prisoner that he essayed to 
speak in his own defence. He had not proceeded far, 
however, when his voice failed him, and his eyes filled 
with tears that coursed down his cheeks, writing their 
tale of sorrow as they went. 

" Heaven can bear me witness that I am no spy, but 
a man full of trouble, and driven from my home, and 
separated from my friends by this cruel war — " 

" You can't deceive a military man like me with that 
dodge. You must prepare to get hung, and well hung, 
as every spy deserves to be," interrupted the Major 
exultingly. 

" Has it come to that," the man muttered rather 
than spoke, " that I must not speak in my own defence?" 

" There's no saving your neck with these tears of 
your's, and what you have got to say will keep until 
you get to headquarters." 

So proud was the Mnjor of having secured a prisoner 
that lie would not listen to anything the man had to 
say. He was therefore ordered to prepare for a tramp 
to Fairfax Seminary, a journey he was ill prepared for, 
since his toes were out of his shoes, and his raiment 



23G THE STOnY OF A TROOPER. 

not sufficient to keep out tlie cold. The prisoner wag 
told in what manner lie must proceed, and just as he 
was about to set off a very amusing scene occurred, 
which T must describe here, or the true history of this 
expedition will not be complete. I remember also that 
a very grave and serious account of the achievements 
of this expedition appeared in several newspapers con- 
spicuous for their veracity, and which, it was asserted 
by several officers of the regiment, could liave been 
written by no other person than Von FIopp liimself, as 
not a word was said about the officer who called him a 
balloon. 

The sergeant declared the prisoner his by right of 
capture. This the Major disputed, asserting that the 
prisoner was his by right of rank. To which the ser- 
geant, who had rare courage, replied that the Major 
was a fool, who got brave enough when there Avas no 
danger, and was meddling with business that did not 
concern him. Indiu^nant at this slander on his wisdom, 
the Major drew his sabre and declared the sergeant 
should feel the weiglit of it. The sergeant, however, 
was equally quick in drawing his sabre, saying he was 
ready to try strength of weapons with his superior. 
He now began to maneuvre his horse, and instead of 
putting himself in an attitude of defence, made ready 
for a sudden charge on liis commanding officer. Thi^ 
completely changed the aspect of affairs, and so con- 
tracted tlie bounds of Von Flopp s courage that he 
called lustily on the prisoner to stand by him and save 
him from the venoreance of this cruel-hearted ser<'-eant. 
lie also sent Crump back to the interiection of the road, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 237 

there to blow as loud as lie could on liis bugle until 
help came. 

This terrible sounding of Crump's bugle soon alarmed 
the troop, which came back at a brisk trot to sec 
what was the matter. Indeed several of tlie officers 
gave signs of serious alarm, for they feared Yon Flopp 
had fallen in with the enemy and been captured. Wlien 
told by Crump that it was only a fight between his 
master and the sergeant, and all about a scraggy-look- 
ing prisoner, they rode quickly to the spot, expecting 
to find one or the other dead. Judge then, if you can, 
of their disappointment, when they found the Major 
and the sergeant dismounted and shaking hands, appa- 
rently the very best of friends. 

" We have a tricing difficulty," said the Major, call- 
ing one of the officers aside and whispering in his ear, 
"but we have settled it amicably between ourselves, 
and there is no need of any further reference to it. I 
honor this sergeant, and can endorse him fcr a brave 
man and a soldier.'' 

They now mounted their horses, and having joined 
the troop, set out for camp in the best of humor, tlie 
prisoner proceeding on foot between, the Major and the 
sergeant, for in the accommodation it was agreed that 
he should belong to them jointly. When within a few 
miles of the Seminary the Major began to consult willi 
himself as to the results of so important an expedition. 
He must make a report, and give it sound and circum- 
stance. And it would hardly do to round off the report 
of an expedition that had been so eminently successful 
with a single prisoner, and he so shabby an one. In 



238 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

short, ho concluded within himself that it would not do 
to have less than three prisoners. As fortune was with 
him just then, so two inoffensive travellers were found 
sitting by the roadside, for they were weary and needed 
rest. And these Von Flopp proceeded forthwith to 
capture as prisoners of war. The men were on their 
way home from Alexandria, where they had been to at- 
tend to some law business, and were armed with passes, 
which, however, the Major declared he was not bound 
to respect. . 

The other officers remonstrated with him against tiic 
wisdom of making such strange arrests; one of them 
even called him a fool and a madman. But it was all 
to no purpose, the Major asserted iiis rank; and the 
prisoners were necessary to make up what he called 
Iiis complement. It mattered not how much they 
pleaded tlieir innocence and offered to show their 
passes — how much distress was brought on their fami- 
lies ; they were ordered to join the lirst prisoner and 
move forward. 

The bugles were sounding tattoo when the troop 
reached Camp Kearney. Crump liad beeii sent in ad- 
vance to announce the approach of liis master, to wliich 
he added all sorts of stories as to tlie events of the day. 
According to Crump his master had borne a conspic- 
uous part in several battles the troop had been engaged 
in; that he had witli his own hands captured and was 
bringing in a number of prisoners. Tliis story set tlie 
camp all astir, and the men broke away from all re- 
Ftraint and gathered in crowds about the gate, giving 
the troop three hearty, cheers as it wlieeled into camp. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 230 

Anxious inquiries were also made concerning the pris- 
oners; and not a little disappointment prevailed when 
the true story of the expedition got out, and the men 
were told there were only three prisoners, neither of 
whom were taken with arms. 

The Major entered camp a few minutes after the 
troop, carefully guarding the prisoners. Instead of 
cheers and other complimentary demonstrations, his 
ears were greeted with cat-calls, and other sounds of a 
very unpleasant nature. Indeed the peaceful quality 
of his prisoners excited sympathy rather than joy in 
the feelings of the men. One said he ought to be 
ashamed of himself to capture sucli men. Another 
said he had found the devil and two friends and brought 
them in to help fight liis battles. A third was sure 
they were only three Jews, employed by our sutler in 
the bone and rag business. The big Sergeant Major 
would have the little bugler tried by court-martial and 
punished for disappointing the camp with these lies 
about his master's victories over the enemy. And a 
nice little fight was got up in Hugh McSourley's tent ; 
for Hugh had invited Fin. Maginnis to come over and 
join him in finishing the last end of his bottb, and the 
guest not content with the whiskey, had something dis- 
respectful to say of Major Yon Flopp. Now Hugh 
was an old soldier, and declared he would not stand 
by and hear language disrespectful to a superior officer 
spoken in his tent. Fin. would not take back a word, 
and the result was that Hugh, who liked a fight, awd 
all the better if he could have it before breakfast, ac- 
commodated his guest witli a very black eye. 



240 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

The camp was, indeed, all disorder and confusion, 
and although the bugles had sounded taps, and the 
lights were all out at General Kearney's headquarters, 
it was wit'i great dilliculty the men could be got to 
their tents, so intent were they on playing pranks with 
the Major and his prisoners. But Yon Flopp was not 
to be cheated out of liis laurels in this way, and with 
an air of pomp few could assume, proceeded to head- 
quarters with his motley prisoners. 

The Colonel was examining some papers by the light 
of a candle when the Major entered, in all liis serenity. 
" If your honor," said he, rubbing his head, " has time 
to listen, I will illuminate what we have done. We 
have liad excitement enough for one day, Colonel — " 
The Major hesitated, rubbed his head again, turned to 
his prisoners, and then was about to continue. 

" So I understand, Major," interrupted the Colonel, 
raising his eyes and looking inquiringly at tlie prison- 
ers over his spectacles; " and I am told you conducted 
yourself with great coolness and gallantry." 

" It would not serve me much to speak of myself." 
The Major bowed, and smiled in return for the compli- 
ment. " Tlie officers shall be the judges of my bravery. 
The eneuiy felt tlie weight of our sabres; yes, and he 
had occasion to run several times. My bi-ave men 
would have followed me anywhere." 

" I am sure of that, Major," rejoined the Colonel, 
suppressing a smile. '* But who, pray, are these men 
you have here ?" 

" These here men ? Prisoners of war, sir: prisoners 
of war; desperate characters; cut-throats; famous all 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 241 

over the country for their rascality," he replied, warm- 
ing into enthus asm. 

" You give them very hard characters, Major, but 
what proof have you—" 

" Listen now, listen," interrupted the Major, point- 
ing to one of the men who was about to speak in reply 
to the charges; " you will hear liim talk treason by the 
page." 

" We are peaceable citizens, sir," said the man, ad- 
dressing the Colonel, " and it's not right for the Gov- 
ernment to arrest us this way — " 

"Roast me! Just hear liim, Colonel. He does^it 
open liis mouth but treason comes out. They can't 
deceive me with their innocence — no they can't. Colo- 
nel!" Here the Major spread his hands and became 
eloquent over his prisoners. " Why, sir," he resumed, 
"look you. This one lias red hair and a disreputable 
look." He referred to the prisoner taken first. " These 
two, why sir, you can tell their dangerous faces as far 
as you can see them." 

The men looked at their accuser with an air of sur- 
prise mingled witli contempt. Both men had passes 
from the Provost Marshal, aud were indeed as peace- 
able persons as could be found anywhere. After hearing 
their statements the Colonel ordered tlieir release, had 
them comfortably provided for during the night, and 
sent to their suffering families in the morning. 

*'Umph!" ejaculated the disappointed Major; ^'ain't 
no good to take prisoners if they are to be let loose in 
this way. "But you won't turn tliis one loose, I know, 
Colonel. He's a spy. You can read it in every wrin- 



242 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Ide of his countenance. You'll give him the guard- 
house and the halter, I know ! " 

The man turned toward him with a look of scorn. 
*^ There is a judge above who shall sit wlien my loyalty 
is on trial," he spoke, suppressing his emotions. " Hea- 
ven knows 1 have already suffered enough for my opin- 
ions, but I. have been true to my country and my con- 
science; and I have been punished because I have been 
true to my country. My property has been destroyed, 
my home threatened with the torch, and with my family 
I have been night after night driven to the woods for 
safety. If but half the tale of my sorrow were told, 
it would be a sad one indeed. A merciful God pro- 
tects us all, and to Him I look for deliverance." Here 
he drew a paper from his pocket, and passing it to the 
Colonel, who was affected by the man's manner, sank 
into a chair and wept like a child. 

"When he had read it he passed it to the Major, say- 
ing : "You have made one of those mistakes which do 
us more injury than good." Yon Flopp scanned and 
scanned over the paper, then shook his head and bowed 
himself out of the room. The paper was a protection, 
signed by no less a person than General George B. 
McClellan. 

*'I offered to show him my protection," said the 
man, becoming more calm, " and when I did he treated 
me with increased rudeness." 

" I am sorry for what has happened, sir," replied the 
Colonel, his face warming witli benevolence. " I am 
also sorry that any one connected with my regiment 
Bhould have added to your sorrow, sir. There is more 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 243 

power ill one kind word than in twenty swords. Your 
wounded feelings shall be healed, and you shall go to 
your liome rejoicing. You shall have a supper and a 
bed, and both shall be the best these headquarters af- 
ford, for I see you are weary and hungry. It is mad- 
ness to call a man a criminal who is merely a sufferer ; 
and he who does it has a heart without sympathy. 
Charity to the sorrowing heart is like dew to the 
drooping rose ; it is the sweet incense of the soul ; and 
he who has the noblest nature bestows it most." 

Tliis evidence of generosity on the part of the Colo- 
nel so touched the man's feelings that he again gave 
vent to his tears. 

" Cheer up, cheer up!" continued the Colonel, " war 
makes us all the children of misfortune ; all liable to 
the abuse of that little brief authority so dangerous 
in tlie liands of the thoughtless." And he again pressed 
the man's hand warmly and tenderly. 

" There was my little garden," sobbed the man, 
" which made us all so happy to see the flowers when 
they bloomed. It has all been destroyed. Not a shrub 
remains. I liave no place to shelter my head in safety, 
and I meet my family to-day not knowing where tliey 
will be to-morrow. My father was a patriot, a gen- 
tleman ; lie served his country long and faithfully in 
the Senate of the United States. Tliink you I would 
dishonor his name by being faithless to my country ? 
No! never." 

" Dickens ! Dickens !" interrupted the Colonel, '' why, 
1 knew liim well." 

"He was my father," rejoined the man, "and may 



244 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Heaven keep hallowed the names of the great men who 
respected him." 

" Bless the j^ood old man; may his name live forever. 
Why, sir, I knew your father well ; his kindness was 
as bright as the stars of heaven, and fell on all who 
enjoyed it like a good spirit. You are twice welcome 
at these headquarters.^' When the Colonel had done 
speaking he turned to Tantery, the sooty negro, and 
ordered him to prepare supper and a bed for the poor 
prisoner, which was done. " And you shall have a good 
warm punch," resumed the Colonel, " for I see you are 
suffering from the cold." But on going to the closet 
he found his bottle empty, an unfortunate result, pro. 
duced by Tantery, who had an uncommon weakness 
for strong drink ; and as to the rights of property, he 
held them in utter contempt. 

" The bottle is empty, and the sutler has gone to 
bed," said the Colonel, setting the bottle down with an 
air of disappointment. 

Alex, the Irish Lieutenant, entered just at this mo- 
ment, and being told what was the matter, exclaimed : 
" Ye'd niver want a bottle, and a dollar is in my pocket. 
Do ye mind that! And bad luck to the sutler what 
^id refuse it liad'nt I a dollar in my pocket!" Alex 
was never so happy as wlien he Avas relieving the wants 
of some distressed individual. He started for the sut- 
ler's shanty, and found tliat avaricious person reluc- 
tant to rise from his blanket and serve his customer. 
" Git up ye divil splittin cross atwcen a Jew and a 
Quaker," roared the Irish Lieutenant, tlmndering away 
at the sutler's door. '* Git up, ye divil, ye, or by the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 245 

powers yer shanty '11 come down. Ud )^e see a poor 
man suffer for a bottle, and he sick ?" The sutler re- 
cognized the voice of his customer, and knowing there 
would be trouble if he did not get up and give him 
what he wanted, soon opened the door. " Three ! 
three! three! bottles; the best ye got, and that's 
mighty bad. Hand them out, quick now," demanded 
the Lieutenant. 

'' Cash or booked ?" inquired the sutler, rubbing his 
eyes. 

*' Cashed or booked, is it, ye say, ye thief?" responded 
Alex, poising his left. *' Musha, bad luck to ye, would 
ye throw a shadey of discredit on my responsibility — 
and it night, too? Repate that and I'd mighty soon 
thrash dacency into ye." 

" Three bottles," muttered the sutler, sullenly, "six 
dollars. Booked." 

Alex grasped the Ijottles eagerly from the sutler's 
hand, and retiring to headquarters, soon had a hot 
punch prepared for the poor prisoner. He also as- 
sisted Tantery in getting supper ready, and which the 
prisoner partook of with a keen appetite, for in truth 
he had r»ot tasted food since early morning, when he 
bx'eak fasted on a potato and a slice of bread. 



It was on the 4th of December that a good deal of 
excitement was caused throughout tlie division by the 



Note. — In colorin.q: my picture it may not be exact in all its tints. I have enJeav- 
ort'd, however, to give a truthful account of this expedition. The prisoner referred 
to \v;i.s ;i ^ou of the venerable Dickens, who so long hold an honorable position in th« 
Scu;:te of the United St.itcd. 



245 THE STORY or a trooper. 

news tliat a man of our regiment liad been captured 
while deserting to the enemy. The man, William H. 
Johnson, was a private in Company D. He had Ijcen 
on picket near Benton's Tavern ; and leaving his com- 
panion under pretence of watering his horse at a neigh- 
boring brook, deliberately proceeded to give himself 
up to the enemy. 

Johnson was a man of weak intellect, with a down- 
cast but inoffensive countenance; and no doubt a natu- 
rally bad man. But the many stories told of him at 
the time, and some of whicli got into the newspapers, 
were nothing less than the rare inventions of camp 
gossips. Johnson's parents resided in Louisiana, where 
he was, according to his own account, born and raised. 
Like many others of his class, he was leading a sort of 
vas-abond life at the North when the war began, and 
only joined the army because it afforded him a quicker 
means of aiding the bad cause in which his heart was 
engaged. Justice was swift to overtake him and bring 
his career of mischief to an end. 

He had got but a short distance beyond our outer 
picket line when he was met by a party of officers of 
t.:c First New Jersey Brigade, returning from an ex- 
cursion outside our picket posts. Mistaking them for 
Confederates, a mistake they were quick to discover 
and take advantjge of, he proceeded to give them a 
minute account of what he knew concerning the dispo- 
sition of our forces, and more particularly the strength 
and position of our picket posts, exulting at the same 
time in his crime. When- he liad sufTiciently convicted 
himself out of his own mouth, the oCncers discovered to 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 247 

him who they were, disarmed him, and brouglit him 
back a prisoner; a man than whom none could have 
been more wretched. 

Johnson was arraigned before a court-martial, of 
which Colonel N. J. Jackson, 5th Maine Volunteers, 
was President, found guilty, and sentenced to be shot 
to death. General McClellan, in approving the sen- 
tence and fixing the day of execution, (the 13lh of De- 
cember,) concluded his remarks with these words : "For 
simple desertion the penalty is death. For desertion 
coupled with such treachery there can be no mercy." 

Tliere are few things more solemn and touching than 
a military execution, when properly conducted. And 
the present one, I venture to assert, has never been ex- 
celled for its force and impressiveness. The place of 
execution was a broad, level plain just nortli of the 
Seminary. Three o'clock was the liour appointed for 
the division to be in position; but it was nearly four 
when all the troops had taken tlieir places. The scene 
was then grand and imposing. Three sides of a square 
were formed, in double lines, the space between being 
twenty paces. General Slocum's Brigade formed one 
side of the square, on the Leesburg turnpike; General 
Kearney's at right angles, and resting on his right; 
and General Newton's farming the other side, the cen- 
tre facing west. Then the artillery formed on one side 
of the square ; the cavalry on the other. General 
Franklin and his staff, the Brigade Generals and their 
staffs, making a brilliant display, took position beside 
the place of execution. Then a great crowd of spec- 
tators came, some in gay equipages, others afoot, all 



248 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

oagcr to witness the putting to death of this wretched 
man. The vounj^ laughing girl and the grave Senator 
mingled with painted harlots and their gaudily dressed 
companions. 

The sad procession approached at last, and the im- 
patient crowd pressed forward to catch a glimpse of the 
condemned. There was the music, and the Provost 
Marshal and his aids ; the wagon with the coffin, the 
prisoner, and his priest; the carbineers with reversed 
arms, and the escort. It began its solemn march by 
entering between the lines at the riglit of the division, 
the front battalions facing to the rear as it approached, 
and in that manner passed along to the extreme left, 
one band after anoth.cr striking up and playing a dirge, 
with an effect not easily described. Now the proces- 
sion halted at the place of execution. The last faint 
strains of music had died away. The prisoner crouched 
on the foot of his coffin, for he was overcome, and there 
was no courage in his soul. The priest whispered a 
benediction and took a parting farewell. The carbi- 
neers were at their places; a strange and solemn still- 
ness prevailed, and the red, setting sun clothed the 
scene in mysterious shadows, mingling with the gleam 
of arms, and giving deeper solemnity to the picture. 
T:ie Marshal waved his handkerchief. It was the final 
signal. There was a flash, a crack of carioincs, a 
wreath of pale white smoke curled away, but the 
wretched man was not dead. At least a groan had 
been heard, and the reserve was called up to finish the 
work of death. 



STORY OF A TROOPER. 



BOOiC III. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



DISAFFECTION IN HIGH PLACES. 



From early in December, 1861, until about tlie 7tli 
of January, 1862, the weather in Virginia had been 
remarkably line, the roads good, and tolerably dry. The 
army took advantage of this to improve its drill and 
discipline. Indeed, so great was the improvement 
made during this fine weather, that few could fail to 
notice it. General McClellan, too, had appeared 
among his men almost every day, and by his constant 
attention to their wants had gained their affections 
and confidence to a remarkable degree. He had the 
power of making the soldier feel that he was liis true 
friend; and so carefully and kindly did he exercise this 
power that he gained a complete mastery over his 
impulses. Whatever may be said of General McClel- 
lan a3 a politician, it cannot be denied that as a soldier 
he liad the love and confidence of his troops. 

While, liowever, General McClellan was embracing 
the opportunity tliis fine weather afforded to improve 
tlie condition of liis army, a feeling of dissatisfaction 
seized upon the public mind, because lie did not venture 
forth while it lasted, and do all sorts of impossible things 
ajxainst the enemy. Men who had been careful not to 

251 



252 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

get witliin hearing of drum-beat or bullet-sound, sud- 
denly became wise in military matters, and were ready 
to show the nation how the rebellion could be put down, 
if they were onl}^ put in command of the army. War 
was a new thing to us then, and impatience had come 
to be the besetting sin of the nation. And the thought- 
less, and the reckless, and the weak minded were quick 
to take advantage of this impatience, to exert their 
bad influence over an administration daily discovering 
its inability to properly understand the military neces- 
sities of the day. So persistently did these men urge 
their conceits upon the President, whose natural good 
judgment should have been a sufficient protection against 
such bad influence, that they succeeded in making him 
believe that he only had to issue an order commanding 
the army to move forward and conquer our enemies, 
and it would be done. Men sensible enough in other 
things, became wild when they talked of war. Many 
of them talked and acted as if they were sincere in the 
belief that President Lincoln was a second Joshua, and 
putting on the mantle of that ancient warrior, could 
control the winds, the weather, and more than all, the 
mud of Virginia, while our army went forth to conquer. 
Washington was, indeed, just then, full of men wise 
in the art of war. Clergymen were ready to take the 
field, and went about the streets muttei'ing their dis- 
trust of generals, and discoursing learnedly on strategy. 
ATid there were a number of doctors, too, who had never 
distinguished themselves in their own profession, but 
ready enough to be made generals, just to show us that 
an army could be organized and led to victory, as well 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. '253 

by a man accustomed to the syringe as a man educated 
to the use of the sword. Tipsy Senators set up for 
rare military critics; and having seldom appeared in 
the Senate without bringing discredit on those who sent 
t lem there, now went about seeking in public places 
listeners to their criminations against General McClel- 
lan's patriotism, as well as generalship. Because 
he did not condescend to make them his confidants, they 
made him the object of their bitterness. Instead of 
exerting their influence to preserve harmony in tlie 
army, so much needed at that time, these reckless men 
went about exciting jealousy and insubordination among 
officers, and fanning the fire of malignity already burn- 
ing too deep in society. 

The Congressman last from his country-home, with 
fresh and new notions of public duty, took to this nov- 
elty of war as a cliild would to a toy, playing with it 
until his fancy became dazzled. He knew nothing of 
military affairs, and yet he meddled with them, and was 
ingenious at making mischief; and nothing else. With- 
out capacity to gain public attention on the floor of 
Congress, he hoped, by meddling with military matters, 
to share a portion of that cheap popularity so plenty on 
the streets of Washington. And the clamor rung by 
these men so constantly into the ears of the thought- 
less soon found its way to the camp, and had its bad 
effect on the conduct of the soldier. Generals caught 
up the spirit and gave license to their jealousies ; offi- 
cers neglected their men, and began intriguing one 
against the other, seeking promotion and neglecting 
their proper duties, until crimination and bitter feeling 



254 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

divided their councils and weakened their usefulness. 
Petty officers, following tlie example set by their supe- 
riors, forgot that they were brothers in arms, forgot 
that a great and holy cause had brought them into tlie 
field, forgot what was their first duty to their country 
in its day of trial, and even forgot that during war the 
spirit of Union is the throne of power. 

Generals who had shown themselves incapable in 
the field, who had brouglit disaster on our arms in our first 
struggle with tlie enemy, and who had lost the respect 
and confidence of their men, were again taken into the 
confidence of the administration, and their advice lis- 
tened to most when it was most damaging to McClellan. 
What the nation wanted, just then, to put down this 
clamor, to stay the discord made by little men whom 
the tempest of war had lifted into high places, was a 
firm hand, guided by broad judgment, and a superior 
mind at the head of its affairs. It wanted an admin- 
istration bold enough and strong enough to strengthen 
the hands of the commanding general, by showing that 
it had confidence in him. But tlie administration be- 
trayed its own distrust in acts that only increased 
public clamor, fettered the movements of the general 
in command, and gave the advantage in military power 
to the enemy. Instead of standing up boldly against 
the disaffection of politicians, it sought in the most 
dangerous expedients, a temporary relief from the 
pressure that was being brought upon it by the reck- 
less and thoughtless. In fine, it yielded up its own 
better judgment, and became a weak instrument in 
their hands. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 255 

The old Secretary of War, Cameron, was out ; and 
the impatient were pleased for a day because we had 
got a new one. Fawning flatterers now surrounded 
the President, complimenting him for his firmness at 
one moment, and at the next acting as if they expected 
liim to make a traffic of his favors. He accepted their 
flattery as pure friendship, and failed to discover that 
it was only froth from the fraud concealed in their 
Ijearts. The President had friends, good and true; but 
they were not among those who cast doubt on liis wis- 
dom by assuming to control his measures. 

Few men in the army knew or had ever heard of this 
new Secretary of War; and many were the inquiries 
concerning his military experience. I only found three 
officers who had answers for these questions. One 
affected to know him as a smart lawyer from Steuben- 
ville, Ohio. A second said he had got rich by pursuing 
the business of a claim agent. The tliird presumed to 
know him as a clever attorney, prominent at procuring 
patents. They were all dumb as to liis military expe- 
rience. It was indeed hinted at the lieadquarters of 
one of our generals, that if tbe spirit of the War De- 
partment was to be controled by patent lawyers, the 
effect of the misfortune must fall heavily upon the 
nation. 

This new Secretary of War was simply a busy, bust- 
ling man, whose patriotism was beyond doubt, earnest 
and etiergetic in the performance of his duty, of a stout 
iignre and iicrce countenance, impulsive, and, at times, 
wrong-lieaded; deficient in that calmness of tempera- 
ment necessary to just judgments, a combustible but 



256 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

successful lawyer, rash when combatting legal difficul- 
ties, and reckless in the use of language when the ends 
were more easily obtained by logic and calmness. Am- 
bitious of power, he had no sooner got it than it became 
a dangerous weapon in Lis hands, as it is sure to do in 
tlie hands of all those who fear the public will not be- 
lieve them honest in the use of it. He made enemies 
of men whose friendship he should have been quick to 
secure, and chose for his friends mere flatterers and 
favor seekers, who should have been kept at a proper 
distance, since all history has sliown that the political 
influence of such men is the most dangerous thing a 
Cabinet officer can traffic in. 

The new Secretary had some reputation as a politician. 
But even that was gained by aiming at broad and spas- 
modic effects, rather than by the constant and stern 
advocacy of any of those great principles which have 
conferred benefit on mankind. It is never pleasant to 
deal witli dead men who have enjoyed an unenviable 
reputation while living. During the administration of 
that dead man, James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, and 
while its arm chairs were filled chiefly witli traitors, 
our new Secretary's loyalty shone forth like a bright 
star breaking through leaden clouds. But he tried in 
vain to awake that dead ruler from his treacherous 
sleep. And although earnest and energetic in his efforts 
to defend the nation against traitors, he (the Secretary) 
had none of those higher and more generous attributes 
of character which carry force with the people and 
reflect at all times the real statesman. 

His greatest misfortune as a public officer, however, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 257 

was his maimers, which repelled instead of attracted, 
and which at times were rude, and even offensive. He 
had no natural sympatliy for military men, and hence 
it was that he could not appreciate those courtesies 
which rule among and give tone to the conduct of offi- 
cers, and also foster that respect so necessary between 
superiors and subordinates. Nor was it his fault that 
he lacked all those finer qualities of the heart which 
excite the enthusiasm of the soldier, and are so essen- 
tial to a good understanding between the army and the 
War Department. That he had a task to perform in 
his new office requiring the strength and energy of an 
Hercules cannot be denied. Whether he surrounded 
liimself with men qualified to lighten and make Iiis 
labors eas}^ is a question many have doubted. Some 
men simplify, systematize, and make labor easy. Other 
men confuse, complicate, and bestow a great deal of 
labor on a small amount of work. The new Secretary 
has at least had the credit of being one of the latter. 

The jealousy, intrigue, disaffection, and even insub- 
ordination of which I have spoken, as cropping out 
in the Army of the Potomac, was not confined there. 
The virus had extended its poison to the West. General 
Buell had taken offence at his superior, Halleck; and 
that his insubordination might not be mistaken, sent 
his reports direct to Washington. Such conduct should 
have insured his summary dismissal, instead of which 
it found favor at headquarters. In truth. General 
Buell found a defence for liis conduct in the example 
set by his immediate superior. For while Halleck 
commanded the armies of the West from his easy chair 
12-^ 



258 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

in St. Louis, far from sight of his men, who had begun 
to regard him and speak of him as a magnificent phan- 
tom, he was working up a nice little quarrel v/ith his 
superior, McClellan, and betraying his insubordination 
by sending his reports direct to the War Department. 
These quarrels between generals were not only para- 
lyzing the military power of the nation, but a source of 
increasing anxiety to the President and Secretary of 
War, whose time was absorbed in trying to reconcile 
them, while other important public business was neg- 
lected. It has since been proved tliat the officers most 
active in producing this state of things were less scru- 
pulous of the nation's honor than anxious for their own 
promotion. 

The President had it in his power, not to reconcile 
these quarrels, but to put a stop to them. It was only 
necessary that he openly avow his confidence in Mc- 
Clellan, endorse his instructions, and give him such 
power as would insure respect for Iiis orders on the 
part of his subordinates. It is not for me to say 
whether the President lacked resolution or was guided 
to his duty by too much charity; but lie did not adopt 
this wise course. No; he gave to quarreling generals 
a plea of excuse for their conduct, by "jumping " Gen- 
eral McClellan and holding a council with two of his 
subordinate generals, to inquire what they knew of 
their superior's plan, whether indeed he had one, and 
what he was going to do with the army. The reckless 
and the restless in the army wanted no better apology 
for their conduct than this avowed distrust of McClel- 
lan's capacity to command the army, on the part of the 
President. Insubordination is a contaaion that works 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 259 

upon an army with tlic poison of a pestilence; and no 
ruler of a great nation can afford to encourage it un- 
less he expect his people to reap the dead fruit. It has 
been said that politicians in all times have been the 
dread of generals and the scourge of armies. The 
truism was now brought to our own door in the most 
forcible and damaging manner. 

Those who knew the President best, who understood 
and were capable of appreciating his devotion to what 
he supposed to be the people's will, needed no assurance 
that what he did was with a view to promote the pub- 
lic good. But he mistook public clamor for the peo- 
ple's judgment, and in underrating the position and 
casting doubt on the capacity of the general he had 
placed in command, set a dangerous example to the 
army, the result of whicli, as shown by the disasters of 
Pope, Burnside, and Hooker, came very near proving 
fatal to it. 

General McClellan had not been seen by the army 
for several days: and the news that he was dangerously 
sick Im Vv^ashington ran from camp to camp, and was 
received with feelings of regret, and even despondency, 
by both officers and men. This news was succeeded in 
a few days by rumors the most wild, exciting, and 
unsatisfactory. It was only necessary for some officer 
to invent an absurd story in the morning, and before 
evening it would have a thousand believers among 
sensible men. One had it that the President, impa- 
tient that General McClellan had kept the army in 
sight of Washington all winter, was resolved to dis- 
miss him, and having furbished up his own military 
knowledge, would take command of the army himself. 



2G0 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Officers gatlicred together in groups, and with scnous 
faces discussed the President's ability to perform such 
a duty successfully, expressing their dissatisfaction 
in unmistakeable language. The men, following the 
example of their officers, shook their heads and mut- 
tered their discontent in their tents. Then the whole 
army was agitated with a rumor that the President had 
sent privately for Generals McDowell and Franklin, to 
consult with them as to whether General McClellan 
had a plan, and, if he had, whether it was a good one, 
and if he (McClellan) could be relied on to carry ii 
out. This rumor I knew to have too much foundation 
in fact. Indeed, there was not a clamor-making poli- 
tician in Congress who did not fancy either that Gen- 
eral McClellan had no plan, or that he had a better 
one himself. 

Then we had a rumor that McClellan had been 
relieved, and McDowell appointed to take his place. 
This report seemed to increase and make the dissatis- 
faction complete. Officers of all ranks openly declared 
him a failure, arraigned his management of the first 
battle of Bull Run, and threatened to throw up their 
commissions rather than serve under him. A man sel- 
dom hears what is said of his character by those under 
him. From what I could see and hear, I was satisfied 
that General McDowell had, unfortunately for himscH', 
lost both the confidence and respect of the Army of the 
Potomac. The desire of the army leaned towards 
Franklin, who would have been acceptable to both offi- 
cers and men, for they knew him to be McDowell's 
superior mentally, and he had already gained the rcpu 
tation of being a good soldier and a pure patriot. 



CHAPTER XXYII. 



CURIOUS RESULT OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S WAR ORDER, NO. .. 

When this great struggle for national life shall have 
become a thing of the pastj wlicn tlie clash of arras 
shall have ceased, and the ghastly figures of the battle- 
field become as mere shadows in a distant dream; when 
future generations shall look calmly back upon us, and 
review in all their relations the acts of men who con- 
trolled our affairs, civil as well as military, then, and 
only then, will the great Christian world do full justice 
to President Lincoln for his emancipation proclama- 
tion. It was a just, a timely tribute to that great pro- 
gressive spirit of humanity every good man ought 
to be interested in, and whicl) is shaping and directing 
all great events throughout the world. Jt required a 
clear mind to grasp tlie spirit, and rare independence 
to perform the act; and the good and the great will 
honor him for the blessings he will have conferred on 
a race that had suffered through generations of bondage. 

It will be very different with the future historian 
who attempts to deal seriously with Mr. Lincoln's ca- 
pacity as a commander of armies. Three of the most 
remarkable war orders history has any account of 
stand recorded as on a monument of brass, showing 

261 



262 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

him to be but an indifferent soldier. Mr. Lincoln, T 
am sure, must by this time join the nation in its wish 
that these innocent war orders had never seen the liglit 
of da}^ We have improved by exj)erience since tlien, 
and can now read them by the light of reason. You 
read them, expressing a regret and suppressing a smile. 
You regret that they contain so little of the soldier and 
so much of the lawyer. And you wish they liad neither 
defied the elements, nor tortured wisdom with their in- 
nocence of what an army can do. 

The fine weather of early January was succeeded by 
the severest storms. To-day it would be freezing cold. 
To-morrow a drenching rain, filling the streams and 
overflowing roads, would be accompanied by liail, sleet, 
and a fierce, cutting wind. Tlien snow would cover 
the ground, and the Army of the Potomac would lay 
for weeks buried in a mud drench. Mud churned up 
everywhere, as only mud can churn up in Virginia. 
Picket reliefs struggled and picked their way over fields 
and through woods to get to the outposts. Subsistence 
wa<rons stuck in the mud; teamsters labored in mud 
knee deep; and the poor animals plunged and struggled 
in vain to do their work. Mud covered cavalrymen, 
their jaded animals, reeking and dripping, presented 
the most forlorn appearance as they dragged and strug- 
gled in mud. Mud dragged into headquarters, mud 
filled the log cabins and disfigured the tents; the whole 
army struggled in mud. Artillery could not be moved, 
forage teams were stuck fast in the road, and our poor 
animals suffered and died for want of something to eat. 
And there was little change for the better until far 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 2G3 

into February. This severe weather had also a bad 
effect Oil the men. Many of them were seized with 
fevers and other diseases peculiar to the climate, and 
our hospitals, not very well provided at that time, soon 
became filled with the sick. A peculiar feature of this 
effect of the climate was, that its first victims were 
among those apparently the most robust and strong. 
Young men tenderly brought up, and accustomed to 
the indulgencies of city life, seemed to preserve their 
health and endure the Iiardships of camp best. 

And here I must relate a curious result of the Presi- 
dent's war order. No. 1. 

I was picking my way from headquarters to one of 
the officer's tents one morning, during a driving rain, 
when I discovered the figure of a man, apparently fast 
in the mud, for he remained almost motionless, and 
gave no heed to the storm. As I approached nearer I 
discovered him to be Hugh AlcSourley, of whom I have 
before spoken. His back was to the storm, his body 
a little bent, his hands joined before him, and his coun- 
tenance wore a downcast and dejected air. 

" Is that you, McSourley ?" I inquired, and he turned 
towards me with a look of sorrow, and shaking his 
head, replied : 

"It is, an troth — an sorry am I it is me. Its no good 
luck brought me here, Captin." 

*' You had better go to your tent, out of the storm," 
I continued. His Irish enthusiasm quickened, and his 
face brightened with a smile. " How'd I go to my 
tint, an I ankered Lore to the mud?" he replied, mak- 
ing an effort to drag up his right foot, when I disco v- 



264 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ered the shackle that secured him to a ball and chain. 
I had rarely seen a more pitiable object, or one which 
touched my feelings more deeply. Hugli was a brave 
man, and not a bad man, except when his temper was 
troubled with whiskey. 

" I am sorry to see so good a soldier as you under- 
going such severe punishment in this storm '' — 

"Faith it might be worse, Captin;'' he interrupted, 
with a good-natured smile. " But won't the ribilspay 
for this, thin ! Stay awhile till I git em within lingth 
of my sabre." 

McSourley laid all his sorrows at the door of the 
rebels. No matter how much he suffered, he found 
consolation in tlie promise that the rebels would have 
to pay for it when he got within sabre reach of them. 
I confessed my inability to see how the rebels could 
have had anything to do in bringing this punishment 
upon him. 

" May the Saints forgive me I " he exclaimed, rais- 
ing his hands. " Would I be here only for the ribils ? 
Bad luck to thim, and the breed o' thim; and may the 
divil git'm afore they git absolution.'' Here he made 
a desperate struggle to move forward, and, with his 
hand extended in a threatening manner, and with much 
earnestness, ejaculated, " And was'nt it the likes of 
you, too, that brought me here ? " I turned to see 
what had caused him this sudden a2;itation. It was a 
stalwart negro, passing a few paces behind me, to his 
master's tent. I remarked that, like himself, the poor 
negro was an object of sympathy. 

*' An its a mighty lot of it they gits, " he replied, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 265 

quickly. " If the ribils'liad the naigars, and the divil 
the pair o' thim, would'nt I be home, living in pace wid 
the ould woman ?" 

I now endeavored to get from him what was the im- 
mediate cause of this punishment. Slipping his fingers 
into his vest pocket, he drew forth a small, dirty slip 
from a newspaper. "Perhaps ye've read that before; 
anyhow ye can read it agin.'' It was the President's 
remarkable War Order No. 1, and read thus : 

PRESIDENT'S SPECIAL "WAR ORDER NO. 1. 

Executive Mansion, 
Washington, January Sls^, 1862. 
Ordered : That all the disposable force of the Army of the Po- 
tomac, after providing safely for the defence of Washington, be 
formed into an cxpediiion for the immediate object of seizing and 
occupying a point upon the railroad southwestward of what is 
known as Manassas Junction, all details to be in the discretion of 
the commander-in-chief, and the expedition to move before or on 
the 22d day of Ecbruary next. 

[Signed,] ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 

I was still at a loss to see what this had to do with 
it, and told him so. He smiled, apparently at my inno- 
cence, and i)utting the bit of paper carefully back in 
liis pocket, soon made me understand that the President 
had in him a tnore sincere friend, and one ready to de- 
fend his authority with a stronger arm, than many of 
those who fawn about and flatter him in the hope of 
f-ecuring liis favors. 

Then raising his right hand, he exclaimed with an 
emphasis and depth of feeling I have rarely heard ex- 
ceeded : *' A mighty curse upon your head Finn. 
McGinnis I " 

" So then it was another fight between you and Mc- 
Ginnis, and whiskey, T suppose^ had something to do 



266 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

with it ?" I rejoined, making a motion to leave him, and 
ordering him to his tent. 

" Stay, Captin, stay," said he, anxiously, " an Td 
tell ye all about it. There was a mighty dale o' talk 
in camp, as ye know, about Gineral Micklillin lavenus 
an the Prisident takin a spil at commandin the army. 
There was tliim as said perhaps he could do that same; 
thin there was thim as said perhaps he could'nt do that 
same. Och I the whole camp was mighty agitated — 
ye know that. And there was Corporal Rooney and 
private Teddy O'Brien and Mister McSourley (misilf 
ye know) in the tint beyant, behavin like gintlemen, 
when Finn. McGinnis drops in widout sayin by your 
lave. ' Have ye's heard de news, boys V says he. 

" * What news have ye now? ' says I. 

" * Gineral Micklillin laid on the shiif and the Presi- 
dent himsilf commands the army. Much luck may he 
have wid his new ockupashun,' says Finn., radein the 
Prisident's order till us, and spakin derrogrutory of 
the Prisident as a Gineral. ' Musha I should'nt I like 
to see the Gineral that oud move an army an it stuck 
in the mud : a good time he'd have wid his artillery, 
crossing strahms an his powder wit. Botherhashin to 
that man as would sit in his aisy chair and till the army 
to move an it fast in the mud,' says Finn., spakin of 
the Prisident as did'nt become the likes of him." Here 
Hugh shook his head and paused for a moment. 

" And you used striking arguments in defence of the 
President's military capacity ? " I interposed, with an 
encouraging nod. 

"Faith I did I Wus'nt it my duty to stand up for 



TUB STORY OF A TROOPER. 267 

de man as commands us. ' Yer a blackguard, Finn./ 
says I, * an its not say in much for ye as a sodger that 
ye refuse to obey orders, oneyhow.^ 

" ' Cud ye reapate that? ' says he. 

" * I oud,' says I, * an more, too, bedad. An do ye 
mind this. Mister McGinnis. Theraan^s no gintleman 
what inshults the Prisident in my tint. Doent yecs git 
yer rashuns, and doent yees git yer pay, and doent yees 
git yer clothes ? An seein that, is^nt it yer duty as a 
sodger to yeald obadience to the orders of your supa- 
rior ? ' 

" ' Is it the likes o' you that's come to tache me my 
duty?' says Finn. An did'nt myself tache him bit- 
ter manhers by knockin him down I An what does the 
spalpeen do bnt cry, 'Murther I murther I would ye, 
Mister Sourley, murther a man in your own tint V 'I 
would,' says I, ' an its that same ye desarve for yer 
disrespect to the Prisident.' An its not the half mur- 
thered he was. 

" Thin I was arristed and had comodashuns in the 
guardhouse, beyant. Thin charges, an spisafikashuns, 
an all that, an more too; an I was thried afore a chourt- 
raarshal fur the half murtherin Finn. McGinnis. Musha, 
was'nt there a dale of lies told I The divil a woord 
I'd be allowed to say fur mysilf, an I innocent as the 
lamb. An its here I am, payin the pinality. Ye hare 
it all, Captin. Good luck to ye; may ye niver do 
duty of this sort. 

'' But won't the ribils pay for this, an they within 
the rach of my sabre ? " Having concluded his story, 
I left him extricating the ball from the mud, and mak- 
ing a desperate effort to reach his tent. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



HOW TO MOVE THE ARMY. 

When a great governor takes the reins of power 
into his own hands, it were well that he examined 
carefully the whole road he purposes to drive over, 
to see that it be safe in every part, in order that he 
perform the enterprise without endangering the lives, 
the liberties, and the property of others, as much in- 
terested in the result as himself. This Mr. Lincoln 
docs not seem to have done when he issued War Order 
No. 1, imperatively commanding tliat the army move 
on or before the 22d day of February, 1862. A great 
general may, it has been said, order what he pleases; 
but if the gods be not with him, and tlie elements con- 
spire against him, his orders will fall as harmless as 
did tliose of the Emperor of China who ordered his 
people to frighten a powerful army from their country 
with ugly figures painted on paper lanterns. 

The 22d of February came, and yet the capricious 
elements seemed to mock at the President's War Order 
No. 1. We had rain, we had snow, and we had mud; 
and enougli of each to convince the most stubborn un- 
believer ill General McClellan's military capacity that 

208 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 269 

artillery and subsistence trains could not be dragged 
through the roads. 

Then it was wliispercd about the headquarters of 
certain generals tliat we were to have a change of base, 
a subject with which General McClellan was inclined 
to confuse his mind. This change of base, it was said, 
was with a view to flanking instead of fighting the ene- 
my, to frightening him into his works at Richmond 
instead of fighting, demoralizing and destroying his 
army as far away from his own door as possible. And 
this idea was in high favor with a large number of ner- 
vous officers. Manassas was a terror in the thoughts 
of some of our generals; and too many of our officers 
were indeed pleased at the thought of getting the rebel 
army back into Richmond without a fight, not for a 
moment thinking that he would there choose his own 
ground, and, with his superior advantages, hold us un- 
til he was ready to strike his heaviest blows. Nor did 
it seem to occur to them that an army always fights 
best, and with fewest disadvantages, at its own door. 

The wliispers I have referred to soon increased into 
rumors and spread through the camps, afi'ording themes 
of discussion for every degree of subordinates. Gen- 
erals, too, had different opinions as to what line we 
sliould move on to reach Richmond and gain most ad- 
vantages over the enemy. I have more than once 
thought that some of our generals were more anxious 
to avoid the enemy than figlit liim out of his strong 
position in front of Washington. Then there was a 
great confounding of plans. The President had a plan 
of his own, and was for sticking to it because his 



270 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

friends admired it. A ghost in tlie broadclotli of Jef- 
ferson Davis, and in the act of capturing Washington, 
brought him sorrow by day and hovered in Iiis dreams 
at night. There was no knowing what the rebels 
might do were Washington " menaced." His plan was 
to move the army on what was called the overland line, 
fighting and driving the enemy from position to posi- 
tion, until we had reached the very gates of Richmond, 
and left Washington secure. 

Generals McClellan, Fitz John Porter, and a few 
others, had a plan of their own, and opposed that of tlie 
President as liable to incur a greater loss of life and 
give the enemy too much advantage in positions. They 
not only urged, but almost insisted on a plan which 
experience has since shown to have exposed the army 
to greater delays, increased the expense enormously, 
and opened greater and more numerous avenues to 
fraud and peculation. It took the urmy completely oE 
its feet, essentially changed its condition, and subjected 
it to natural and artificial impediments of the most 
dangerous kind. It proposed that each portion of the 
army, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with all their 
encumbrances, should make a long and tedious back- 
ward movement to Annapolis, Md., embark on trans- 
ports, and having nearly circumnavigated lower Mary- 
land, ascend the Rappahannock to Urbana, and then 
land and proceed across the country to West Point. 
This, it must be confessed, was a very roundabout way 
of reaching a point to which there was a short and 
straight road by land, and which General McClellan 
miglit have opened at small cost had not his mind be- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 271 

come completely overburdened witli strategy. In truth, 
he soon resolved into the victim of his own strategy, 
saw huge impediments at every turn, and the longer 
he delayed the greater these impediments became. The 
adoption of such a line argued also the incompetency 
of the navy to silence a few of the enemy's batteries 
on the Potomac, and keep the passage clear from Alex- 
andria to the Rappahannock. 

General McClellan had a misunderstanding with the 
navy; and the navy, not particularly popular at that 
time, had a misunderstanding with General McClellan. 
The misunderstanding was indeed mutual — so much so 
that one w^as never ready to move when tlie other was. 
Tlie navy shrugged its shoulders and threw out hints 
that McClellan was not so much of a general after all. 
And the General, in turn, lost no opportunity of show- 
ing by his acts how little faith he had in the ability of 
the navy to clear the enemy's batteries from the banks 
of our rivers. It must be remembered, however, that 
monitors were a new feature in our engines of war 
then, and had not been tested. Nor is it too much to 
say that General McClellan's respect for the efficiency 
of even wooden gunboats was materially increased as 
his army subsequently marched up the Peninsula, where 
they did good service along the banks of the York and 
Pamunky rivers. 

Now, you cannot take an army off its feet and put it 
afloat except at enormous cost, increasing the dan.2:ers, 
and rendering its m.ovements more uncertain. Aside 
from this, the procuring of so enormous and peculiar a 
fleet as was necessary in tliis instance was not the 



272 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

work of a day, a week, or a moiitli. Vessels of vari- 
ous sizes and models, adapted to the navigation we 
were to undertake, as well as suited to carr3'ing the 
diifferent arms of the service, had to be bouglit or char- 
tered in different ports of the North, where tlieir own- 
ers were sure to take every advantage of the Govern- 
ment's necessity. To get many of these vessels to a 
place of general rendezvous was a work of great hazard, 
since they were not adapted to sea service, and had to 
proceed slowly and cautiously along the coast. Then 
they Iiad to undergo such alterations and preparations 
as were necessary to fit them for tliis new service. Our 
gallant cavalry had to move on schooners; and these 
had to be got ready for carrying horses, men, forage, 
and all its various paraphernalia of war. 

The whole history of war does not afford another 
instance where so enormous a body of horse and artil- 
lery was moved so long a distance by sea to gain a 
point to which there was so short a road by land* Few 
beside those who saw this fleet when it conveyed the 
array from Alexandria to Fort Monroe can form any 
correct idea of its magnitude and appearance. 

The Quartermaster's Department, to which tlie em- 
ployment of this fleet properly belonged, found itself 
perplexed and confused by the War Department assum- 
ing the responsibility of chartering the vessels, and, 
indeed, entrusting the labor to one of its Assistant 
Secretaries, a gentleman with some reputation as a 
skilful keeper of a hotel, but very little knowledge 
of ships. Indeed, lie knew just nothing of the usages 
governing tlicir charter, as was afterwards sliown, to 



THE STORY OF A TllOOPER. 273 

the nation's cost. New England ship-owners were not 
disposed to deal tenderly with the Government. Old 
worn out steamers, barges of odd construction, canal 
boats, and, indeed, all sorts of queer and aged water 
craft, were brought from the places of rest they had 
long since been assigned to, and sold or chartered to 
the Government at enormous prices. North river and 
Sound steamers were chartered by the day, at a cost 
that soon amounted to their gross value. And although 
the distance to be navigated was short, and the service 
required of this great fleet of the most insignificant 
kind, the cost of preparation and maintenance was fully 
equal to that of transporting an army a thousand miles. 
The cost increases witli delay. It is the preparation, 
tlie embarkation, and the disembarkation that consti- 
tutes the great expense of sucli a fleet. 

No official account of what it cost the nation to 
transport the Army of the Potomac from Alexandria 
to Fort Monroe has ever appeared; but officers compe- 
tent to judge have assured me that it was even greater 
than that paid by the allied powers for transporting 
their armies to the Crimea. Even that, I fear, is below 
the reality, for very many of the mo^t expensive ves- 
sels remained idle for weeks, and even months, drawing 
full pay from tlie Government. The avaricious found a 
rich opportunity liere for the display of their meanness; 
and there were many things done on the voyage that 
illustrate human depravity in its worst form. Our 
brave soldiers were imposed upon by New England 
captains, whose haste to make money out of the suffer- 
ings of others outran their hate of the rebels. Many 
13 



274 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of these men paid no respect whatever to the conditions 
of their cliartcr, evading their obligations to the Gov- 
ernment, and in their greed for money committed all 
Forts of abuses. So imperfectly were these charters 
drawn up, that many captains would not permit either 
ofTicers or men to enter their cabins until they were 
]>aid in advance for what they were pleased to call the 
]>i-ivilege. In many other instances the men were 
cliarged for every meal they were permitted to cook in 
the ship's galley, asserting at the same time that the 
Government had chartered nothing but tiie ship's hold 
and deck. The mate of a vessel on which Captain 
Arnold was transporting his celebrated battery threat- 
ened to shoot a lieutenant for asserting his right to 
enter the cabin without charge. He was arraigned 
before a court at Cheesman's Landing, and acquitted 
on the ground of defect in the charter. 

Other steamers and sailing vessels seemed to have 
little or nothing to do. And it not unfrequently hap- 
pened that splendid steamers, for the use of which the 
GoNcrnment was paying a thousand, and even twelve 
hundred dollars a day, exclusive of fuel, would be ap- 
propriated by airy young gentlemen, upholstered in the 
tapestry of brigadiers — young men with a weakness 
for finery and feather-beds — as headquarters for theni- 
Fclvcs and staff. And this was too frequently done 
while their men were crowded on old, unsafe boats, 
where comfort was out of the question. In this weak- 
ness to indulge in elegance and luxury, it must be con- 
fessed General McClellan set his subordinates a very 
bad example. He appropriated the largest and most 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 275 

costly steamer (Sound) of the fleet (the Commodore) 
for his lieadquarters, which had the air and elegance 
of the drawing-room. But we must not forget that 
vanity in officers is a commodity the nation always has 
had to pay dear for. 

In embarking the troops new difficulties arose at 
every step, causing serious delays and adding to the 
confusion. Officers who ought to have superintended 
the work entrusted it to others; and tiicse, in turn, 
acted as if it were none of their business. The men 
detailed to do the work either did not know their busi- 
ness, or performed it with unmistakable reluctance. 
Then the supply of coal would run short, and we had 
to wait until it could be procured ; and what would 
be assigned as the work of a day might not be finished 
for a week. In fact, it soon appeared that we were 
not skilled in the art of moving an army of such mag- 
nitude ])}' water; and the nation had to pay dear for 
the lessons of experience we were taking. Nor was it 
reasonable to suppose that sucli a movement could be 
made without the enemy knowing all about it, and, in- 
deed, foreseeing all our intentions. In fact, it could 
not be executed witliout giving him time to so dispose 
his forces as to be able to confront us as effectually in 
our new position as in the one we had left. 

General Franklin, and a few friends who had faith in 
his judgment, favored a more effective and less expen- 
sive plan, which was to move directly up the York 
river, land at West Point, and then march on Rich- 
mond direct, over a level country; or, having done that, 
ci- .ss lo the south side of the James river at Citv Point, 



276 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

make a rapid movement and capture Petersbjrg, and 
then close up on Richmond at the south, while another 
portion of the army held the north side. So far as 
flar.kini^ the enemy and compelling him to evacuate 
Manassas and withdraw to Richmond was concerned, 
this plan had superior advantages over the other. But 
to insure expedition and success, it was necessary that 
the York river have only such impediments as could 
be easily overcome by the gunboats. And there can 
be no. doubt that General Franklin, whose opinions had 
great weight in the army, did not make sufccient allow- 
ance for the strength of the eneniy's defences along 
that river. 

The thing of first importance in considering these 
different lines or roads to Richmond, was a thorough 
knowledge of the topographical features of those sec- 
tions of Virginia through v;hich t!)cy ran. It must, 
indeed, be confessed that few of our general officers 
had any very correct knowledge of the peculiar fea- 
tures of that portion of Virginia we purposed to cam- 
paign over. Slavery forbade rather than invited emi- 
gration; and so f\xr as population was concerned, the 
State had stood almost stationary for nearly half a 
century. In truth, Virginians were non-progressive, 
and the country, which had not been " opened up " as 
it has since been, was as much a mystery to most of 
our people as are the wihls of Nevada at the present 
time. Farmers residing in one county could give you 
very little correct information concerning the surface 
l\>alures of the next. We were very likely to find 
f'v/ump and woods where they told us wc wouhi iiiid 



THE STOr.Y OF A TROOPEK. 277 

liigli and cleared land. ^Icn liad fished in tlie streams 
and water courses, and aiFccted to know all about tliem. 
When, however, we came to question tliem closely, we 
found they knew nothing- of their source, their course, 
the features of the soil along their banks, or tlie changes 
to which they were so frequently sul)ject. Plodding 
farmers wlio had travelled over tiie pikes and bye-roads 
on their way to and from market could tell us that they 
were dry here and wet there; that they ran to Jones's 
Corner or Smith's Mill, and that was about all. They 
knew little or nothing of those peculiar features of the 
country so essential to the successful movements of an 
army, and so important for a general to know. As for' 
the local maps of the country, not the slightest reli- 
ance could be placed on them. The generally accepted 
opinion among general oflicers of the Army of the 
Potomac, at that time, was that what was called the 
overland route to Richmond crossed a number of very 
capricious streams vrith high southern banks, affording 
the enemy great natural advantages, which could be 
easily strengthened and made almost impregnable; and 
from which wg could iiot successively drive the enemy 
without great sacrihcc of life and time. It was urged, 
too, that the tenacious clay which formed the soil of 
this section of t!ie country and rendered the roads 
almost impassable with eveiy rain, would be a danger- 
ous impediment to our movements. These were the 
disadvantages urged, and I amiiiclincd to believe with 
too nmch persistency. It Vv'as true these roads were 
bad in wet weather, but they soon became dry and hard; 



278 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and once so were less liable to be cut up by our trains 
than where tlie soil was light and spongy. 

AmoDc: the advautaires ur<2:ed in favor of tliePenin- 
sula were tliat the country was more open; had few if 
any dangerous streams to be crossed; and that the soil 
was of such a character as to render the roads good 
and safe at all seasons of the year. General McCIel- 
lan, in his letter to the President, dated February 3d, 
1862, in urging the advantages of the route up the 
Peninsula, says : " The roads in that region are passa- 
ble at all seasons of the year." Again he says : "The 
country now alluded to is much more favorable for of- 
fensive operations than that in front of Washington, 
(which is very unfavorable.) much more level, more 
cleared land, the woods less dense, the soil more sandy, 
and the spring some two or three weeks earlier." Ex- 
perience has shown that General McClellan^s informa- 
tion on this subject was sadly at fault; and this he 
discovered to his sorrow before he had marched ten 
miles from his base at Fort Monroe. The soil, it is 
true, was more sandy. But it was also light, spongy, 
and treacherous, full of dangerous quicksands, into 
which our animals sank and plunged and soon became 
powerless to drag out the trains they were attached to. 
Indeed, the soil was so light and spongy that it seemed 
to be destitute of bearing qualities, and the roads be- 
came a bog with the slightest rain. In some places 
these roads had to be corduroyed for miles before a 
team could pass over them, and even then it was ex- 
tremely hazardous, as the corduroy would give way in 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 270 

places, and the plunging animals break their limbs iii 
trj^ing to extricate themselves. 

In truth, where General McClellan had looked fnr 
hard dry soil and cleared land, he found dense fores i ^ 
and deep swamps. Where he had expected to find tiu^ 
enemy in small force and take him at a disadvanta^r^, 
he found him much more strongly intrenched than ho 
was at Manassas, both his flanks protected by river^^ 
and ready to defend liimself behind a line of works 
the most extensive and formidable of any he had yet 
erected. Tiie opportunity of turning him on either 
flank was now less favorable than at Manassas. Indeed, 
there was no alternative but to fight him in front; and 
as there was an excellent opportunity for the display 
of some magnificent engineering, General McClellan sat 
quietly down to a siege. General Barnard, our engineer, 
lioisted his petard, his men went to work making gabi- 
ons and sand bags, the infantry took to the spade, and 
our dasliing cavalry had nothing to do but get demor- 
alized, which it did pretty thorouglily. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



MOVE FORWARD— DASHING CAVALRY CHARGE, AND DEATH OF A GAL- 
LANT YOUNG OFFICER. 

Sunday, the 9th of March, came in with a pale grey 
sky and a damp, chilly atmosphere. Bugles were sound- 
ing, drums beating, and bands playing along tlie whole 
line. Mounted orderlies and staff officers were gallop- 
ing to and fro, from division to brigade headquarters, 
carrying orders. Indeed, everything indicated a move- 
ment of the army at once. For several days previous 
all sorts of rumors respecting a forward movement had 
circulated in camp ; and a color of truth was given to 
them when the impatient and brave Kearney, with his 
First New Jerse}^ Brigade, (an honor to the State tliat 
sent such a fine body of men,) moved out to Burke's 
Station. The army was provided with rations for six 
days, and a feeling akin to joy ran through it at the 
prospect of meeting and trying strength once more 
with the enemy. 

About three o'clock the first battalion of the 1st 
New York or Lincoln cavalry received orders to 
mai'cli and join General Kearney at Bui'ko's Station. 
Later in the day, an order was issued for a general 
movement of the arm v. Tlie battalion proceeded over 

280 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 281 

the Little River turnpike and joined General Kearney 
at Burke's Station the same niorht. On the followinir 
day, tlie 10th, tliey advanced to Sangster's Station, 
on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and were en- 
gaged protecting a working party building a- bridge 
and repairing the road. There was a piece of rising 
ground to the right of the Station; and just beyond 
this an open, level field, skirted on the west by a belt 
of thick wood. Early in the afternoon it was discov- 
ered that the enemy jiad an infantry picket of about 
one hundred and fifty men posted near a clump of 
woods on the western part of this field. Kearney at 
once ordered Captain Stearns, of Company H, to send 
one of his best and most reliable ofiBcers and fifteen or 
twenty men to feel their position, and, if possible, 
dislodge them. Lieutenant Harry Hidden, of whom 
I liave before spoken, was selected to perform this ser- 
vice, and given only sixteen troopers to aid him in carry- 
ing out his orders. Hidden was loved and respected by 
the regiment. He was brave and fearless, full of the 
spirit of command, and earnest in the cause of his coun- 
try. He had won the respect of his superiors for liis 
strict attention to duty, and his men loved him because 
he was kind to them, and they knew him to be devoted to 
their interests, and brave. He had a fine, handsome 
figure, a face of rare beauty, and, withal, was a skillful 
horseman. He was proud at being selected to perform 
so hazardous a service, raid his dark, flashing eyes 
beamed with satisfaction as lie proceeded to perform it. 
He selected from his com[)any sixteen of the best and 

most reliable men, among whom was Hao-h McSourlcv, 
IB- o ., 



282 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the man I left in a preceding chapter moored to a ball 
and cliain ; and one Corporal Lewis, a brave young 
New Yorker. 

With this mere handful of men, armed with sabres 
and pistols, Hidden moved in tlie direction of the enemy, 
General Kearney and other officers watching liis ad- 
vance from a hill near by. The enemy was on tlie 
alert, and began forming his line and advancing as 
soon as he discovered onr troopers. Indeed, he came 
out bold and defiant, and indicated an intention to re- 
sist the advance. Steadily the little band of troopers 
advanced, until they got within half a mile of the en- 
emy, who received them with a few sliots. Here Hid- 
den lialted, and formed his men for a charge against 
the infantry's steel. They were soon ready, drew 
sabres, and away they went over the field, first at a 
brisk trot, then, wlien the enemy's fire was drawn, 
dashed down upon him at full gallop, cutting and 
slashing witli the sabre. McSourley and Corporal 
Lewis had their horses shot dead ; still they rushed 
on, engaging the enemy in hand to hand conflicts, 
Union sabres againt rebel bayonets and knives. Tlie 
struggle was desperate and bloody while it lasted, and 
so excited Kearney's admiration tliat he gave vent to 
his feelings in applause. The enemy fought bravely, 
but could not stand tlie impetuosity of our trooi.ers, 
and began to give way and fall back. Our men fol- 
lowed up quickly, until they came to a fence, v/hicli 
gave the enemy a momentary advantage. Some of 
the horses took this fence handsomelv, and the troonerj 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 283 

proceeded to keep the enemy in confusion by quick and 
effective use of the sabre; others balked. 

Hidden was riding the bugler's horse, an awkward, 
unwieldy animal, who balked and refused to take the 
fence. In turning him for a second attempt, an enemy's 
bullet entered his left shoulder, twisting upwards into 
his neck, cut the jugular vein, and the gallant young 
officer fell dead from his horse, his blood watering the 
spot where he lay. The little band of troopers now fought 
more desperately than before, and soon had the enemy 
driven in confusion into the woods. They had killed 
several, captured more than double their number of 
men, and two officers. These officers were captured 
after the most desperate resistance, and only yielded 
when they were prostrate and disarmed. Young 
Lewis displayed great coolness and judgment in fight- 
ing his men after Hidden had fallen, and bringing them 
off the field, with tlieir prisoners. Kearney was fond 
of these displays of courage, and complimented Lewis on 
the spot for his bravery, as well as recommended him 
for promotion in his report. McSourley, who had 
sworn that the rebels should pay dearly for all his 
troubles, embraced this as the first opportunity to 
prove that wliat he had said was really in earnest. 
He fought a good fight, was a brave Irishman, and 
when he had put three of his antagonists Aors du com- 
bat in hand to hand fights, brought off four prisoners 
in triumph. 

Another act of bravery in this sharp, short fight 1 
must not forget to record. Alex, the Irish Lieutenant, 
admired Hidden for his promptness and bravery, and 



284 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

seeing liim engaged in a desperate struggle, mounted 
Ills horse and galloped to his assistance, resolved to 
help him out of the fight. Hidden fell from his horse 
when Alex was witliin a few paces of him. Thinking 
lie had been thrown and slightly injured, Alex dismount- 
ed quickly and raised the lifeless body from the ground, 
the whistling bullets still flying thick about him. 
Twice he called the name of the dead officer and as 
often felt his pulse. There was no answer. The life 
spark had gone out ; and the warm blood still stream- 
ing from his wound was the last and most costly tri- 
bute he had to pay to his country's honor. "He 
is dead !" said the Lieutenant. And tears filled his 
eyes while sorrow touched his heart, for beneath that 
rough outside there was a nature full of generosity 
and kindness. The struggle had not yet ended, but 
he took the lifeless body in his arms, and, mounting 
his horse, bore it away from the field. 

I cannot help thinking that ordering such a charge 
evinced more indiscretion than judgment on the part 
of General Kearney. It was, indeed, no test of what 
cavalry could do in force ; and the only wonder is that 
every trooper was not sacrificed. As it was, a valua- 
ble life was lost to the service and nothing of any con- 
sequence gained. General McClellan, wli<en tlie affair 
was reported to him, commended the courage of the 
young man who had so nobly given his life to his .coun- 
try, but very properly expressed his displeasure of the 
spirit that ordered tlie charge with so few men. 

The cj^valry and a portion of the First New Jersey 
infantry now formed an advance guard, and marched 



THE 6T0HY OF A TROOPl^R. 285 

in two colniuns, one over the old Braddock road, the 
otiicr through Fairfax Court House, to Centreville, 
whicli it reached bL'fore the sun had set. Colonel Taylor, 
with tlic Third New Jersey infantry, was sent along the 
line of the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and made a 
rapid march in tlie direction of Manassas during the 
nio'ht. Tlie advance cruard had orders from General 
Kearney to push on as fast as possible, and when it 
readied Centreville the works presented a picture not 
soon to be forgotten. The enemy had evidently aban- 
doned the place in haste. Most of the heavy guns had 
been removed ; but the strong, formidable earthworks 
stood silent and grim. A few shabby negroes hovered 
about tlie still burning camp fires ; kettles hung over 
the dying embers in the kitchens of the men ; private 
and official papers were left untouched ; and in nu- 
merous comfortable log cabins an abundance of good 
provisions w'as found. Then people from the neigh- 
boring houses gathered around the Union troops, some 
giving what information they could about the retreat- 
ing rebels, others relating pitiful stories of the treat- 
ment they had received at the hands of their professed 
protectors — the Confederates. And as night ap- 
proached, throwing strange shadows over the broad 
and silent ramparts, and these again mingled with the 
flitting glare of the camp fires, giving a spectral hue to 
tliC figures grouped aronnd them, the scene was indeed 
grand and enchanting. The giant had been despoiled 
01 his strength; and there was now nothing left but a 
picture for some Church or Bierstadt to employ their 
pencils on. 



286 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Some of our men searched in vain for the' famous 
quaker guns, on which some writers, with more love 
of excitement than respect for truth, had expended so 
much wisdom. Our oCQcers were satisfied that tliese 
objects of terror had existence only in the excitable 
brain of some special correspondent. 

It rained steady nearly all day, and the roads were 
lieavy and almost impassable. Having rested the 
horses and gained all the information we could con- 
cerning the evacuation of Manassas, the advance guard 
pushed on over the heavy road, feeling its way cau- 
tiously, and about two o'clock on the morning of the 
11 til reached the brow of the hill, from v/hich a fine 
night view of the broad plains of Manassas was had. 
The Blue Ridge mountains were cutting a clear, bold 
outline along the horizon from north to southwest, 
and as far as the eye could reach in that direction a 
broad plain stretched out, the dark shroud of night 
broken here and there by the flicker of smouldering- 
camp fires or the forked flames of some building to 
which the retreating rebels had just applied the torch. 
Here, again, there was ample proof that the enemy had 
evacuated his stronghold in haste. About a mile 
and a half to the south of us the lurid light of a fire 
threw its glare over some tall, gaunt chimneys, and to 
these the guide pointed as the place where the head- 
quartej?^s of the rebel army had been. Scouts were 
sent out, and soon returned to report that the plain 
was deserted. At this news the advance guard marched 
in and took possession, before it was daylight. Gen- 
c.i'oA Kearney came up early, and was received v/ith 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 287 

clieers bj the men. On going a short distance down 
the railroad, Colonel Taylor was found in quiet pos- 
session of a redoubt, over wliicli his flag was flying. 
Sentiments of joy were everywhere exchanged between 
ofScers and men ; and the sight of the old flag flying 
in triumph over Manassas called forth shout after shout 
of applause. 

Manassas presented a scene of wreck only the eye 
accustomed to war and its devastations can compre- 
hend. The ruins of several buildings and tlie railroad 
depot still smouldered and smoked. Heaps of burning 
wagons, of stores, of cars, and of various war material 
spread over the ground in all directions. A charred 
and disabled locomotive stood, like a helpless giant, on 
the track. Camp fires still burned here and there, and 
sooty negroes huddled round them, trying to extract 
warmth from the dying embers. Others hailed our 
appearance with expressions of joy and welcome, deep 
and earnest. From the more intelligent of them we 
got much valuable information. Many of them had 
been the servants of rebel officers, and had cunningly 
taken advantage of their hasty retreat to secure free- 
dom. 

Long lines of ingeniously built and comfortably pro- 
vided log huts were left untouched. Indeed, in very 
many of them fires were burning, cooking utensils stood 
or hung in the spacious fire-places, and hams and bacon 
decorated the beams. In a word, the enemy left us 
plenty of good rations and a large stock of curiosities, 
which the men had manufactured during the winter, 
but neglected to carry away. Our men stood much 



288 THE STOilY OF A TROOPER. 

in need of the rations, for tliey liad got little beside 
coffee and bard bread since leaving Camp Kearney, 
and ate them with thanks to the enemy for his bounty. 
Indeed, they took peaceable possession of the liuts, and, 
with plenty of fuel, made themselves quite comforta- 
ble. Not a few of the troopers took tlieir horses into 
the huts with them, an act of kindness the poor ani- 
mals seemed to appreciate, for tliey had suffered mucli 
from the wet and cold, and had been almost witliout 
forage for two days. The large stock of curiosities 
were soon appropriated, and sent home as mementoes 
of Manassas. 

A short distance from the station stood, untouched, 
the house in which General Beauregard had had liis head- 
quarters. In this a large quantity of ofQcial and pri- 
vate papers were found, some of tliem of a very curious 
and interestinof character. From such as were official 
reports we gathered a pretty clear idea of the compo- 
sition of the rebel army, and what it had performed 
during the year. I found, among a number of papers 
brought to me, several reports made by Colonel Lay, 
formerly on the personal staff of General Scott, of what 
service he had performed for the Confederacy in the vi- 
cinity of Harper's Ferry. I had enjoyed a sliglit ac- 
quaintance with this gentleman while he resided in 
New York, and when he affected tlie most sincere at- 
tachment for the General. He was quick, liowevcr, 
to forsake the idol of his love, and turn traitor to liis 
country merely because he was a Virginian. It was 
also instructive to learn from these reports of Colonel 
Lay how proud he was of the work of destruction he had 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 289 

performed against dams, canal locks, and railroads. In 
truth, he had been performing a madman's work, and 
was pleased to regard himself clever in the art of de- 
struction. 

Early on the morning of the 10th a general move- 
ment of the Army of the Potomac was made. Colonel 
Averill, with the 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry, and the 2d 
and 3d battalions of the Lincoln Cavalry, Col. Mc- 
Reynolds, moved in advance over the Little River turn- 
pike, reaching Fairfax Court House, where a halt was 
made, about 10 o'clock. This picturesque old town, with 
its comfortable and airy residences, began to change its 
appearance in a few hours after the troops had entered 
>t. Here again I am compelled, reluctantly, to record 
scenes of plunder and wanton destruction on the part 
of our troops, disgraceful alike to those who took part 
in them and those who permitted them. The spirit of 
mischief and plunder for a time seized upon the men, 
who lost all respect for discipline, and began an indis- 
criminate pilfering. The Pennsylvania soldiers, always 
more ready to steal than fight, joined with tlie Teutons 
of our German battalion, never of much value as sol- 
diers, and both were soon active in tlic work of destruc- 
tion. They broke open the venerable old Court House 
and other buildings, destroyed the county records, tore 
up old and valuable parchments, and strewed the floors 
a foot deep with papers and books. Many papers, 
valuable as historical reminiscences, connected with 
and bearing the signatures of members of the Wasli- 
ington, Custis, Fairfax, and other Virginia families 
distinguished in the nation's history, were carried off 



290 THE STOBY OF A TROOPER. 

by the soldiers. Many of these valuable papers and 
parchments fell into the hands of sutlers and the vciy 
worst class of camp followers, who I afterwards found 
offering them for sale in Washington. Gen. Kearney, 
on learning what had taken place, expressed his indig- 
nation in language more emphatic than polite. He at 
once took measures to put a stop to it. Like a true 
soldier, Kearney regarded it his highest duty to fight 
the enemy in the field, not to destroy private property; 
the I'csult of which was sure soon to find us with a po- 
litical as well as military battle to fight. Col. McRey- 
nolds, too, on coming up, proceeded to put a stop to 
this work of destruction. 

Colonel Averill reached Centreville a little after 
one o'clock, P. M., on the 10th; and a portion of ]iis 
force joined us at Manassas Junction on the 11th. On 
the 12th a considerable portion of the infantry and 
artillery joined us, and the junction presented a busy 
scene. The irresistible Yankee was there in quick 
time and had his shanty up; and the persevering Jew 
was everywhere competing with him in the sale of 
those almost worthless trifles which the soldier, like a 
child, must have, if only to please his fancy. There, 
too, was your " New York Hotel,'' erected in a few 
hours, of rough boards; your " Continental," and your 
" Metropolitan," where a breakfast of ham and eggs 
and a cup of intolerable coffee was to be had for half 
a dollar. And for another half dollar the enterpri- 
sing landlord, who could show you Gen. McClellan's 
protection, would accommodate you witli a blanket and 
rude shelicr for the night. These busy, entcr[)risin^ 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 291 

persons set an exam{3le in getting up supplies that 
some of our quartermasters might have imitated with 
credit to lliemselves and comfort to the soldiers. 

It had rained steadily for nearly three days, so tliat 
the roads had become almost impassable, and the rail- 
road was not jet in running order. The weather, too, 
was cold and cliilly, and both men and animals suffered 
terribly. Neither subsistence nor forage trains could 
be got up, and for three days the men had little beside 
coffee and liard bread for rations, and the animals no 
forage of any consequence. Complaints loud and deep 
were lieard everywhere along the line, quartermasters 
were blamed, and curses instead of com[)liments show- 
ered on their heads. But they could not control the 
elements, and Virginia mud ruled in all its majesty, 
damping the feelings with discouragement. Many of 
our poor animals died or became permanently disabled 
from exposure and want of forage. Men apparently 
the most strong and robust, broke down and added to 
the already fast increasing sick list. 

In addition to bad roads, the streams were swollen 
to an unusual heiglit, the speed of their currents in- 
creased to a dangerous extent, and their passage ren- 
dered impossible without pontoons. Many of the 
bridges, too, were swept away; others were rendered 
unsafe for either cavalry or artillery to cross on. With 
this condition of things before him, the intelligent 
reader will easily see what an attempt to follow the 
enemy would have resulted in. The main body of the 
Confederate army had fallen back to the south side of 
the Rappahannock; but his rear guard was on this. 



292 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

side, and not far from us. To have followed with any 
hope of inflicting injury would only have more forci- 
bly shown the weakness of human efforts. 

General Stoneraan, famous for moving cautiously, 
was, however, sent forward on the 14tli, witli a consid- 
erable body of cavalry, regular as well as volunteer, 
and some infantry, to feel the enemy's rear and, if pos- 
sible, harass him. But Gen. Stoneman could neither 
get his troops through the mud faster than a slow walk, 
nor subsist his men. Indeed, after getting as far as 
Union Mills, his fears seem to have increased lest he 
should not get back safe, the mud became so deep and 
the rise and fall of the streams so capricious. And if 
we may credit the stories of some of his officers, liis 
anxiety to return was heightened by the appearance of 
some of t!ie enemy's cavalry, looking bold and confi- 
dent ; indeed acting as a rear guard to hasten his back- 
ward movement. He also heard cars running during the 
night, and very naturally inferred that the enemy was 
bringing up reinforcements that might gobble him up, a 
matter no ambitious Brigadier would consider as a 
pleasant end to his expedition. To add to this appear- 
ance of danger, some one told him there were two or 
more regiments of infantry at Warrenton. 

The part taken by General Kearney in this advance 
on evacuated Manassas did not meet tlie approbation 
of either General McClellan or McDowell.. Tlie for- 
mer is said to have censured Kearney's haste in severe 
terms; while the latter, meeting him on liis return to 
Centreville to report what he had done and seen, in- 
quired of him (Kearney) by what authority he had 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 293 

taken it upon liimself to get his troops so far beyond 
the advance of tlie army, and thus expose them to un- 
necessary danger. Kearney had a ready answer, and 
one characteristic of the mar He had no very high 
opinion of McDowell, as a general, and very naturally 
felt restless and sore at being placed in a subordinate 
position under him. It was said, too, that Kearney, 
in moving thus rapidly into Manassas, acted without 
orders, and in disregard of what he knew to be the 
intentions of the commanding General. What Kear- 
ney did had an air of independence about it, at that 
time very alarming to such of our generals as were 
tied down to extreme caution. It was also somewhat 
mortifying to the feelings of several gallant ofiBcers, 
who were ambitious to be first into Manassas. I may 
also say that it can easily be proved that Kearney, 
who was at Sangster's Station when Averill started 
out with his cavalry, had orders from General Frank- 
lin's headquarters to " push on." That he did not halt 
to inquire whether " push on " meant that he should 
stop before he got into Manassas and let Col. Averill 
go ahead, is very clear. 

The above remarks have been called out in conse- 
quence of a very great difference of opinion among 
officers in the army as to the course pursued by Kear- 
ney on this occasion. General McClellan was inclined 
to ignore it altogether, and so were very many of his 
friends ; and this, I have no doubt, led to the opinion 
among many that Colonel Averill was first into Ma- 
nassas, an error wliich to this day lias full force in the 
minds of many. Kearney moved one portion of his 



294 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

force from Sangster's Station up tlie railroad, under 
Colonel Taylor, and tlic other over the old Braddock 
road. And, as I have before described, Taylor was 
first into the enemy's works, and hoisted tlie old flag ; 
and was found there in quiet possession, early in the 
morning, by the cavalry. In returning towards Cen- 
treville to report, Kearney, accompanied by two of his 
aids, met Averill's force advancing cautiously, with 
skirmishers and flankers out. The advance guard mis- 
took Kearney and his companions for rebels, halted 
them, and compelled them to give an account of them- 
selves. It was shortly after this that tlie interview 
took place between Generals McDowell and Kearney.* 
A good deal has been said and written concerning 
the strength of the enemy's position at Manassas Junc- 
tion and Centreville, and also the number of troops he 
maintained there during the winter. He had indeed 
displayed great engineering skill on his works at Cen- 
treville, which were not only extensive but very strong. 
And these, added to a naturally strong position, would 
have afforded him the means of a formidable resistance. 
Manassas was also a very strong natural position ; but 
the works thrown up were of the weakest kind. In- 

*" Since writing the above I have read General McClelhin's re- 
port, and am somewhat surprised to find that he does not mention 
General Kearney's name in connection with the advance on jManas- 
sas, and indeed leaves the reader to believe that Colonel Averill 
was first into Manassas, I confess an unwillingness to l)clicve that 
General McClellan would knov/ingly do injury, even by omission, 
to any brave oCicer, much less Kearne^^, whose gtillantry as a sol- 
dier should have been accepted as atonement for any errors of 
judgment he may have committed v/hilo speaking of his comand- 
in-'ucncr:i!. 



THE STORY OF A TKOOPER. 295 

deed, so far as I could judge, the feeling among both 
officers and men was that of surprise and disappoint- 
ment at the sparcity and weakness of the works 
we found there. There was even more than this. The 
opinion everywhere prevailed that we had been 
deceived by the stories of spies and deserters, who had 
frightened some of our generals with the very names of 
Beauregard and Manassas. In short, we had accepted 
for truth the vast amount of engineering skill some of 
our newspapers had credited General Beauregard with 
expending on this imaginary stronghold. Several of our 
officers, whose opinions I have always found to be valua- 
ble as well as reliable, declared that General Beauregard 
coukl not have intended to make a formidable resist- 
ance here, or lie would have taken more pains to 
strengthen it. There were, it is true, long and intri- 
cate lines of rifle pits radiating from the Junction ; 
but beyond these, I again repeat, the works were weak 
in comparison with what we been led to believe them. 
It was also the opinion of many officers that Gen- 
eral McClellan had been misled in regard to the num- 
ber of troops kept by the enemy during the winter at 
Manassas and Centreville. It must not be forgotten 
that there is a natural tendency to over-estimate large 
bodies of men ; this is particularly so with civilians 
when estimating the number of a body of troops. Gen- 
eral McClellan estimated the number of the enemy's 
troops at and in the vicinity of Manassas and Centre- 
ville at eighty thousand. But it must not be forgot- 
ten that this estimate was based on information pro- 
cured through spies, railroad engineers, constructors, 



296 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and baggage masters. It is very well known that 
General McCIellan's confiding nature too frequently 
led him to attach an undue importance to the opinions 
and acts of men, many of whom were not entitled to 
his confidence. Railroad engineers, constructors, and 
baggage masters, will hardly be accepted as cor- 
rect judges of the number of troops composing a large 
army ; and yet the General, in his report, gives great 
importance to the opportunities these men had for 
forming correct opinions. 

Some of our officers who professed to have made a 
careful examination of the rebel camps, as well as pro- 
cured information from Confederate sources, put the 
number down at sixty thousand. I am inclined to 
believe this number nearer correct. Intelligent citizens 
residing near Centreville and Manassas, and with whom 
I conversed on the subject, never estimated the rebel 
force in that vicinity over sixty thousand. 

The part performed by General Kearney in this first 
advance on Manassas, whether irregular or in conform- 
ity with orders, was such as to deserve some mention 
from the commanding General. None whatever was 
made. Indeed, by this silence General McClellan 
leads the reader to infer that Colonel Averill, with 
his cavalry, formed the advance, and was first into 
Manassas, wliich is erroneous. And this impression 
has so gained force in the minds of many as to give 
rise to innumerable disputes, as well in as out of the 
army. It was also reported at the tine that Kearney, 
in his anxiety to be into Manassas first or have a trial 
of arms with the enemy acted in disregard of General 



THE STORY OF A TllOOl'ER. 297 

McClcllan's orders. There was no truth in these 
reports, some of which found their way into the news- 
papers. I know that General Kearney had orders for 
what he did. I know, also, that he received those 
orders from the headquarters of General Franklin, the 
General to whom be was immediately responsible for 
his acts. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



COUNCIL OF WAR— MOVEMENT FOR THE PENIXSUIA. 

On the IStli of March, in the little quaint old town 
of Fairfax Court House, thronored now with soldiers of 
the Union, and its usual quiet disturbed by the tramp 
of iiorsemen. General McClellan called a council of 
war, composed of his four corps commanders. There 
was the discontented McDowell, the brave and patri- 
otic Sumner, that quaint and impatient little soldier, 
Heintzelman, and the mild mannered Keyes. The group 
was of itself an exquisite picture, for the men forming 
it possessed rare peculiarities of form and feature, and 
were as opposite mentally and physically as it is pos- 
sible for nature, in her wildest freaks, to form men. 
To this council of war McClellan submitted his plan 
for the campaign on the Peninsula, with his reasons for 
urging it in preference to the " line of the Rappahan- 
uock.'"' 

• It must be remembered that these officers were the 
President's choice, selected and assigned to their posi- 
tions by him, by virtue of that power which he de- 
scribed as giving him the riglit to order what he pleased. 
Indeed, in making these appointments the President 
did not (Iccm it worth while to consrdt the feelings of 

21)8 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 299 

tlie commander of the army, wliose orders tbo}^ were 
to obey and execute, and between whom the most es- 
sential requisite to success was harmony and good 
feeling. It was very natural, tlien, for General Mc- 
Clellan to regard this singular action on the part of 
the President as setting a very dangerous example to 
the officers of the army, by treating his position with 
indifference and showing want of faith in his judgment. 
McClcllan knew also that at least two of these gen- 
erals were hostile to him; and he had reasons to fear 
that they would oppose his plans, from motives they dare 
not explain to the public. He was led to believe, also, 
that they would support the President's plan in prefer- 
ence to his, unless he could overbalance their opposi- 
tion with arguments of the strongest kind. One of 
these generals, McDowell, had allowed his hostility to 
his superior to take so open and undisguised a form du- 
ring the winter, that it became a subject of conversa- 
tion in the hotels of Washington, and was condemned 
by all right-thinking men. The reproach of his own 
miserable failure at Manassas was yet cutting deep 
into McDowell's feelings. Disappointed and restless, 
he went about the streets like a man made sorrowful 
with a perpetual grievance, and seeking consolation in 
criticisms damaging to the capacity and plans of an 
officer it was his first duty to show respect for and 
obey. The great mind, as illustrated in the true sol- 
dier, docs not seek either relief or glory in such means. 
Time, it is said, is the great corrector of all wrongs. 
I am not a believer in this kind of philosophy. Time 
and events, however, have satisfactorily proven that in 



300 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

selecting these officers for corps commandois, tlie Presi- 
dent did not exercise correct judgment. Indeed, it 
must be clear to him now, as it is to every right-think- 
ing man. that the country would have been the gainer 
liad he consulted the opinion, and yielded something to 
the feelings of General McClellan before making these 
appointments. McClellan's choice, it was well known, 
would have been Sedgwipk, Sumner, Franklin, and 
Fitz John Porter, officers wlio already had the respect 
and confidence of the army, and who would have dif- 
fused througli it a moral influence such as cannot be 
overestimated. But the administration was at that 
time a martyr to its political fancies, and in its timidity 
could not divest itself of the idea that a man cannot be 
a good soldier unless he have political prejudices of 
the accepted color. , 

Enough has been written about the proceedings of 
this council of war to fill several large volumes. Hence 
the nation need have no fear of being left in doubt 
concerning what transpired. Busy politicians have 
sprung up in various parts of the country, and made 
desperate efforts to astonish the nation witli their 
knowledge of what took place at that council of war, 
denouncing at the same time the desperate strategy 
resorted to by General McClellan and officers in his 
confidence to secure a decision in favor of his plan. 
Then some spiteful brigadier comes forward, lays aside 
his sword, and with a fev/ strokes of his pen proves 
that vdiat the politician said was all false. And the 
fight goes on between the politicians and the brigadier, 
increasing in warmth and bitterness, until there comes 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 301 

up a writer for tlie newspapers, a cunning fellow, who 
knows all about war, and carries the secrets of our 
generals in his portfolio, a place of safety he will as- 
sure you has numerous advantages over the War De- 
partment. Cutting right and left, he soon has both 
the politicians and brigadier demolished, and, at the 
same time, proves to the astonished reader that he only 
lias the true history of this council of war, and can 
tell you what improper influences General McClellan 
brought to bear to insure a decision in favor of his plan. 
Now, the proceedings of this council of war were of 
the most simple and direct kind; and no outside or 
irregular influence was used by McClellan or liis 
friends to shape its decision. The chief questions dis- 
cussed and passed upon were : The availability of the 
two lines; the efQciency of the navy to neutralize the 
power of the enemy's steamer Merrimac; water trans- 
portation; the force necessary to secure the safety of 
Washington, and whether the navy could furnish a suf- 
ficient auxiliary force to silence the enemy's batteries 
on the York river, of the strength of which all our 
generals seemed to have very imperfect information, 
while the navy does not appear to have given itself 
much trouble to procure any at all. This council of 
war closed its deliberations by adopting Fort Monroe 
as a base of future operations, the two reluctant gene- 
rals yielding, as they were reported to have said, be- 
cause they knew General McClellan had made up his 
mind to transfer his operations to the Peninsula. A 
correct liistory of the proceedings of this council of 



302 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

war may be got from the testimony given before the 
Committee on the Conduct of the War. 

There can be no doubt about the feeling in the army 
favoring the new line by the Peninsula ; and when 
news came that it had been decided to move by thai 
route, it was received with general approbation. 

On the 15th orders were issued, and tlie main por- 
tion of the army began to move back to its old quar- 
ters on the banks of tlie Potomac, much to the relief 
of quartermasters, who liad seen men and animals suf- 
fer terribly, without being able to get subsistence or 
forage up, owing to the bad condition of the roads and 
the small amount of motive power tlien on the railroad. 
In truth, tlie whole machinery of transportation worked 
badly, and seemed to be in inexperienced hands. It 
seemed as if we could not go any distance from our 
base without the army suffering for forage and sub- 
sistence. 

A portion of Sumner's corps was left at Manassas 
to disguise our movements, as it was facetiously said, 
and observe the enemy. 

A drenching rain fell on the 15th, and although the 
roads were churned up into a clay bed, and the jaded 
animals in a sorry plight, the men were in good spirits 
at the prospect of taking another, and, as they believed, 
a better road to Richmond. We were all back in our 
old quarters on the IGlh, and entered them with feel- 
ings of joy. Indeed, the old cam[>ing grounds had a 
sort of home charm about tliem; and on entering tliem 
the men acted like members of a family that had been 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 803 

scattered and absent returning home and greeting with 
kind s3-nipath3^ the little objects they had stored it with 
in their childhood. And now, camps had to be put in 
order anew, equipments polished, and arms made bright 
and clean. In a day or two, however, the men ap- 
peared on parade in as good condition as before their 
march. 

It was rumored that the First Corps, to which Frank- 
lin's division belonged, would embark first. Men and 
officers were greatly elated at this news, and waited 
impatiently for orders to proceed on board. Then we 
received news that a change had been made by the 
President, and tliat we were to embark last. This 
caused a feeling of general disappointment throughout 
the division; and by none more tlian the general offi- 
cers. These were Franklin, Kearney, Slocum, and 
Newton, men v^^hose ability McClellan knew and ap- 
preciated. These were the officers who gave what was 
afterwards tlie old Sixth Corps its pre-eminence, its 
fisi-htinG: stamina. xVud tliese are the men whose ser- 
vices to the country will receive their proper reward 
when truth and reason shall have gained the victory 
over passion and prejudice. 

Our disappointment was increased on the 17th of 
March, when t lie embarkation of troops began, and in- 
stead of our own, we saw Hamilton's division of Heint- 
zclinan's corps going on board. No sooner had the 
work of embarkation begun than tlie difficulties of 
transportation .showed themselves. Vessels arrived 
slowly, and many of them were not suited for the busi- 
ness. Wlien enough was got to transport the infantry 



304 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of a division, tliore would be few left fit to carry either 
cavalry or artillery. Then there was the immense 
number of animals, wagons, &c., necessary to the land 
transportation, all to be moved by water , and the means 
to do it with not at hand. An American army cannot 
move far without its mules. 

The consequence of this inadequate transportation 
was that one arm of the service had to be left behind 
while the other went ahead. This not only caused de- 
lay, but seriously interrupted organization and disci- 
pline. And so openly was this new movement talked 
about, and even our destination and object discussed 
in camp, that the enemy, who had friends and spies in 
every house from Alexandria to Manassas, could not 
fail to know all about and have ample time to take 
advantage of it. To show how slow and tedious tliis 
work of shipping the troops was, I need only say that 
althougli it commenced on the 17th of March, the 
troops forming the expedition had not all reached Fort 
Monroe on the 5th of April. The War Department 
had assumed a part in the programme it did not under- 
stand, and had assigned persons to carry on and per- 
form the service who were not equal to its duties. 
General McClellan readied Fort Monroe on board the 
stately steamer Commodore, and in a style almost re- 
gal, on the 2d of April, to find things very different 
from what he expected. A large portion of his artil- 
lery was yet afloat, and only a small portion of his cav- 
alry had arrived. The same was true of his land 
transportation. In truth, things seemed mixed up in 
inextricable confusion. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 3'05 

To add to this, jealousy bad broken out atresli be- 
tween generals, some of whom never could or did agree 
on anything. One claimed rank in virtue of this; 
another claimed rank in virtue of that. One slighted 
orders; another refused to obey them because they 
•w^ere not worded to suit his pride. The service suf- 
fered because these gentlemen, into whose hands the 
country had committed its honor, saw fit to behave 
like petted children. General Wool was in command 
at Fort Monroe. He agreed with none of them. In- 
deed, the venerable General had an independent com- 
mand, and desired that no one should disturb jt or 
interfere with his authority. And this very damaging 
quarrel was not diminished when Gen. Wool applied 
to the President to have liis fears and his pride pro- 
tected, and his command made independent of Gen. 
McClellan's orders. It was exceedingly kind of the 
President, so good-natured in military matters as to 
want to accommodate the feelings and grant the desires 
of an}^ general but the one in command, to please Gen. 
Wool in a matter which concerned only his pride. But 
the most ordinary observer cannot fail to see how 
damaging the granting of such iudulgencies must have 
been to tlic service, as well as mortifying and discoura- 
ging to the General whose duty it was to direct active 
movements in the field. 

The morning of the 4th of April came in warm and 
spring-like. Birds were making the very air melodious 
wiih their songs, fields were putting on their suit of 
jireen, and trees were in bud and blossom, while the 
wind wliispcred warm and lovingly over the bright 
11^ 



oOG THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

landscape. It reminded one of some soft Arcadian 
scene, suddenly invaded by all the terrible ])omp of 
war. The army began its first movement of the disas- 
trous and costly campaign of the Peninsula about 8, 
A. M., on that day, advancing in the direction of York- 
town, in three columns. The country was flat, swampy,* 
thickly wooded, and made almost impenetrable with a 
thick undergrowth of tanglewood. Indeed, the openings 
along the road were small and few, and the houses of 
the poorest kind found in Virginia, indicating poverty 
as well as want of enterprise in their occupants. Most 
of these houses were left in charge of the females of 
the family and a few old and faithful servants, the men 
capable of bearing arms being in the Southern army. 
Some of these females exhibited considerable fear at 
our approach, for they had been told that our troops 
would commit all sorts of outrages, and make their 
condition too degrading to contemplate. And tliese 
ridiculous stories were magnified and made more terri- 
ble to these helpless women by tlie very men who had 
deserted them to blindly follow the fortunes of the 
demagogue Wise. The conduct of our soldiers, how- 
ever, was so unexceptionable that these people soon 
regained confidence, and a good understanding between 
them and our troops was the result. I must here say, 
also, that the conduct of these women towards our 
troops was respectful and kindly. It only required re- 
spectful treatment to get the same in return. Many of 
them hoisted the white flag nt their garden gates, and 
readily brought out any little things our men might 
require, giving or selling for a price we might set. 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 307 

Their conduct did indeed form a beautiful contrast to 
the treatment our soldiers received from the farmers of 
some parts of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863. 
Nor did I discover on the part of any of these females 
that disposition to be refractory and insult our men 
wliicli caused General Butler so mucli concern, and 
furnished so much employment for the youn.2^ gentle- 
men of liis staff. But it must not be forgotten that 
the behavior of our soldiers towards peaceable citi- 
zens was ahvays good under McClellan. Public re- 
spect for the army ran liigh tlien; the War Department 
had not succeeded in making it unpopular, and its ranks 
were filled with men whose hearts were earnest in tlic 
cause of the country, and who asked no bounty to fight 
for the life of the Republic. Judges of criminal courts 
in the North did not degrade the army then by sending 
convicted felons into its ranks instead of the peniten- 
tiary. Nor had village authorities come to regard our 
patriot soldiers good enough associates for all their 
bad characters. 

The march of the first day, although we only made 
about nine miles, was an exceedingly fatiguing one, 
and must, I think, have convinced General McClellan 
that he had been deceived, both in regard to the 
strength of the enemy's position and the topographical 
features of the country. The soil, it is true, was light 
and sandy; but the sand was not of that kind that 
hardens under rain. It was liglit, spongy, and almost 
destitute of bearing qualities. The infantry got over 
the roads witli some difficulty; but wherever they at- 
tempted to take the fields they were sure to find capri- 



308 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

cious quicksands and get into trouble. Artillery and 
transportation wagons ploughed into the roads and 
buried to the hubs; and tlic poor animals plunged and 
struggled for a foothold until they became helpless and 
exhausted, and gave up, unable to drag them out. It 
became evident that we could not get either rations or 
forage up over such roads as these, compared v^^ith 
which those of Northern and Western Virginia were 
like turnpikes. Tlie engineers were soon set to work, 
corduroying the roads in some places, building long 
bridges and causeways in others. And yet so soft and 
spongy was the soil that the corduroy soon gave way 
and became unsafe for heavy trains to pass over. 

Still the army was in good courage, and resumed its 
inarch clieerfully on the 5th, when there was some skir- 
mishing with the enemy, who was making a quick re- 
treat into his defences at Yorktown. Rain fell heavy 
during the afternoon, streams began to overflow, and 
the roads became impassable, causing much sufl'cring 
for want of rations and forage. The infantry strug- 
gled on through the wet and mud; but neither artillery 
nor supply trains could be got up. About three o'clock 
in the afternoon the advance infanti-y halted on the left 
bank of the Warwick river, in front of the defences of 
Yorktown, and v/as for some time exposed to a sharp 
artillery fire from the enemy's guns on the opposite 
bank. Before night live divisions of our infantry, and 
two regiments of cavalry had come up, and were taking 
position in front of Yorktown. The weather con- 
tinued bad on the Oth, and t'.e roads did not iniprovo. 
Qwing to uui- land transportatiju uot being lauded hi 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 309 

time, the troops moved with very scanty supplies; and 
now tlie men had only coffee and hard bread, and our 
animals went nearly two days without a bite of forage. 
Reconnoissances were at once pushed forward, but 
were attended with great difficulty, owing to the dense 
woods and the activity of the enemy's sharpshooters, 
who infested the opposite bank of the Warwick. These 
reconnoissances, however, developed the great strength 
and magnitude of the enemy's defences, wliich were 
found to form a continuous line directly across the 
isthmus from the York to the James river. Here the 
enemy had expended his very best engineering skill, and 
with slave labor erected works the extent and strength 
of which those at Manassas were not to be compared. 
The skill with wliich these works were constructed ex- 
cited the admiration of every engineer officer that exam- 
ined them after York town was evacuated. Indeed, I 
doubt if stronger earthworks were ever built. And 
these, it must be remembered, were supplied with the 
heaviest and, in many places, the most approved ord- 
nance. There was no turning this position, for the James 
river was sealed up by that terror to our navy, the Merii- 
mac. And this monster phantom so haunted the mind 
of Admiral Goldsborough, and limited his action, that 
he confessed his inability to render any assistance in 
reducing the water batteries at Yorktown and the 
works at Gloucester Point — both necessary to a move- 
ment on the York river. But, if this position wcio 
strong on the flanks, it was still stronger in front, where 
n;;turc l)ad provided a protection it would have bcoii 
diuicultto overcome. That protection wixa the \Var\vick 



310 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

river and its marshy banks, which I will try to de- 
scribe. 

Fancy yourself, reader, having travelled ten miles 
westward over a level, swampy country, with the very 
worst of roads, the ditches full of water, and densely 
timbered on both sides, just come to where it termi- 
nates in what appears to be a marsh, varying in width 
from one hundred to six hundred yards. Clumps of 
stunted pines, cedar, and gumwood give a picturesque- 
ness to the view. A stream, very insignificant in ordi- 
nary tiimes, cuts its crooked way nearly north and south, 
now almost lost to view among trees, now stretching 
itself through the marsliy level, as far as the eye can 
reach. You are looking west now, over the defences 
of Yorktown, frowning in all their extent and strength 
on the opposite bank. From a rod or two v/idc this 
little capricious stream expands itself at points a mile 
or so distant into broad dams and mill-ponds. This is 
the Warwick river. An hour of rain will overflow its 
marshy banks, so increase the rapidity of its current 
as to make crossing dangerous, and, indeed, give to it 
the appearance of an important stream. Its left bank, 
the one you stand on, is broken into points and inden- 
tations, and also covered with a dense jungle of under- 
wood, crowned here and there by clumps of tall pines. 
Long causeways extend over the approaches to this 
stream, the soil on which they are made being soft and 
marshy. The enemy has destroyed all the bridges, 
and has powerful batteries to sweep all the approaches 
from this side, over the mill dams. 

"Roads must bo cut throu^-h this dense w^ood and the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 311 

timber cleared away before a safe footlioM can be had, 
or our army take up its position, and to do this is a 
work of extraordinary labor, for each road has to be 
corduroyed througliout, and a solid foundation made in 
front of the enemy's line, before our defensive works 
are bei2:un. And all this has to be done while our 
Avorking parties are exposed to the nnerring aim of 
the enemy's sharpshooters, concealed in trees and 
clumps of shrubbery on the opposite bank. The 
enemy has adopted the old line used by the British 
during the revolution, but has made it ten times more 
strong and effective. And to further add to the strength 
of his position, his engineers have constructed ingeni- 
ous dams across the Warwick, destroying its fords and 
controlling its rise and fall. Our engineers declare 
this to be the strongest line of defences ever thrown 
up by the enemy. On the right bank, and back to the 
enemy's outer works, the ground is a stumpy level, soft 
and marshy, and over which tlic enemy's guns have a 
clear sweep of all our approaclies. It is said he can 
bring at least fifty guns to bear on these approaches, 
many of them of tlie heaviest calibre. On our right, 
and immediately in front of Yorktown, wlicrc the ene- 
my's works are strongest, the ground has the appear- 
ance of a rugged, stumpy plain, but is broken into 
intricate ravines and spongy formations, declining 
eastward into Wormly creek. 

To have attempted an assault overground so treach- 
erous, and aG:ainst works than Avhicli none could have 
been stronger, and with troops, few of whom had been 
under lire, would have been simple slaughter. No 



312 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

good general would risk the lives of liis men in an en- 
terprise so desperate that the chances were all against 
hini. And this was the case here. And yet there 
were officers reckless enough to gain a little noto- 
riety by such a waste of human life as to urge that 
tlie attempt be made. It was discouraging and morti- 
fying enough for McCIellan to find that he had not im- 
proved his advantages with his change of base ; that, 
in a word, he had taken his army off its feet, and made 
a sea voyage to find York town a mountain of difficul- 
ties where Manassas was but a mound. There was no 
taking Yorktown except by a regular siege. To erect 
the formidable works necessary to carry on such a 
siege, must cause a delay that would again excite the 
people to impatience, and give the thoughtless dema- 
gogue in Congress new weapons to carry on his oppo- 
sition to McCIellan. Delay is a condition of war ex- 
perience has taught the people it were best to endure 
with patience. But the people had not then so trained 
their minds as to accept it on such conditions. Here 
there was no alternative consistent with good judg- 
ment. The army changed the rifle for the spade, and 
went to work erecting the preliminary works, none of 
which were ready to receive siege guns until the ITtli 
of April, or perhaps I should say the morning of the 
18th. 

I cannot close this chapter without briefly referring 
to a matter which gave us much trouble and, at times, 
caused serious confusion on the Peninsula. This was 
the utter want of correct information concernino: the 
enemy's strength and positions, as well as the face of 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 313 

the coviiitry — a want certainly not very creditable to 
the generals wlio had commanded at Fort Monroe pre- 
vious to our arrival. During this short march of 
scarcely twenty miles, the army had twice been thrown 
into confusion by the inaccuracies of maps furnished 
to us for true guides, but which had neither the roads 
nor the streams laid down correctly. After the disas- 
ter at Big Bethel, General Butler and his staff seem to 
have come to •the conclusion that it was safer to turn 
an honest penny at a little trade and invest largely in 
popular humanity, than to venture in pursuit of knowl- 
edge that might be useful in a military wa}^ bej'ond 
the narrow circle of our own picket line. It is said 
somewlicre that the devil, having done all the mischief 
lie could, must needs be a reformer, and to that end put 
on the armor of a saint, and went about with his hands 
raised, in search of a cure for his stricken conscience. 
But so shrewd a saint was he that he soon turned his 
new occupation to profit, which so bent the ambition of 
his soul that he fell a martyr to the love of gain. Per- 
haps this case of the d — I does not bear any resem- 
blance to that of General Butler; and perhaps it does. 
At least tlio General was content to believe he had 
performed the duties of a Major General when he had 
organized a system of moral reforms for freed slaves, 
v/ith wliom he had suddenly fallen in love and now 
Vv^orshipped with the zeal of an apostate. That, per- 
haps, was necessary, for every new reformer who sets 
up as a teacher of the people has trouble in making 
tliem believe him sincere. Hence his anxiety to punish 



tJ14 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

those who refused to accept his mode of repentance as 
the true one. 

Before Butler became a general, and took to the 
sword, his political master was Mr. Jefferson Davis, the 
same man who set up a government of his own at Rich- 
mond, and is now making such desperate efforts to main- 
tain it. This master he served well and faithfully, as- 
sisting him to drive home the last rivet in the fetters that 
were to bind moregallingly the limbs of the despised and 
down-trodden slave; forgetting that in doing this servile 
work for so haughty a master, he was insulting the manli- 
ness of the great free North, and the great free West. 
And yet this ungrateful master betrayed his servant 
as soon as his despicable work was done, and sent him 
away without the wages he had asked for. Was not 
this sting enough to make an aspiring gentleman, left 
in this manner without party or political stool to stand 
on, suddenly tack his political ship go in search of 
new friends and bear down on his old ones with all the 
force of outrageous patriotism? It was asking too 
much of this Major General that he attend to the dis- 
cipline of his troops, that he get information concern- 
ing the enemy beyond his picket line, that he fight 
battles, gain victories, and assist in putting an end to 
the war. He had to purify himself in the sanctimony 
of his new friends every day, to manifest unbounded 
love for a race he had tried so hard to keep in degra- 
dation, to wink at mammon and prove to the innocent 
that there was no dross in his philanthropy. 

General Wool, a better soldier, seems also to have been 
remiss in his duty so far as to procuring correct inform- 



THE STOEY OF A TROOPER. 815 

ation of what was going on beyond his lines. He had a 
large and highly respectable staff of young gentlemen, 
unexceptionable in dress and appearance. But judging 
from what they did, the inference to be drawn is that 
this staff was more ornamental than enterprising. From 
them General McClellan got a very large amount of 
very unreliable information concerning the short dis- 
tance of country we had travelled over. I have in my 
mind a German officer attached to our division, who 
wore an elegant uniform, spurs of prodigious length, 
and a pair of spectacles. This officer was several 
times sent out in command of scouting parties, but 
could never find the road to tlie enemy after he got be- 
yond our lines. He however always returned with a 
fund of valuable information picked up along the road, 
and wliich he would assert was more reliable than any- 
thing that could be got by actual observation. Indeed, 
he could tell us all we wanted to know, and a great 
deal more. Some of General Wool's staff seemed to 
have adopted the same pleasant mode of gaining infor- 
mation concerning the enemy's strength and country. 
We were indebted, also, to gentlemen of Gen. Wool's 
staff for maps on which a great deal of time and un- 
limited imagination had been spent. On these maps, 
which we were assured described the country accu- 
rately, imaginary islands were set up for real ones, and 
streams made to run down at right angles from their 
natural course. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



BACK ON THE BANKS OF THE POTOMAC. 

Let US, for a time, leave General McClellan's engi- 
neers erecting these works before Yorktown, wliicli 
afterwards became famous in liis Peninsula campaign, 
and return to the banks of the Potomac. The First 
Corps is yet encamped on Arlington hills, near the 
Seminary; and the officers and men of Franklin's divi- 
sion are waiting with impatience for the order that is 
to send them to the Peninsula. 

^ The deserted camps along the Arlington hills as 
they appeared on the morning after our first advance 
on Manassas, formed so striking a picture to what tliey 
had done the day before, as to merit a few words of 
notice. The day came in with all the softness and 
sweetness of a bright May morning. The trees were 
alive with birds, singing their first welcomes to spring. 
There was neither drum beat, nor bugle sound, nor the 
tramp of cavalry heard that morning. A dreamy, 
mysterious stillness hung over the scene. A plodding 
farmer, heartsick and sad at the desolation of his home, 
picked his way listlessly over the rutt}^ roads, pausing 
now to gaze over the deserted camps or to inquire of 
some liomelcss negi-o what had become of the soldicrf^, 

316 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 317 

then muttering his curses at the wickedness that had 
brought so much sorrow to his door. A few invalid 
soldiers straggled carelessly over the hills and through 
the fields; others smoked their pipes contemplatively 
under trees. And when it was nearly noon a singular 
change came over the scene. A swarm of persevering 
Jews, so numerous that one wondered where they had 
all come from, swarmed over the hills and through the 
deserted camps, like tlie locusts of Egypt, gleaning 
whatever there was left by the soldiers. Some came 
with odd-shaped carts and lean horses; others with 
sacks on their backs and prod-hooks in their hands. 
Bits of canvas, scraps of leather and iron, dirty rags 
and beef bones, old shoes and empty bottles, everything 
included in the debris of a camp, was whipped up and 
carried away. Nothing of the slightest value escaped 
them, not even a soldier's button. No matter how 
filthy these things were, the Jew saw value in them; 
and, to use his own language, could be turned so quick 
into monish so clean as gold. These thrifty people, 
prosperous everywhere, and everywhere to be found, 
had foreseen that when the army moved there would 
be a rich harvest in their line, and no sooner were the 
guards removed than they advanced to their work. I 
have often noticed that in all phases of camp following 
the Jew is prominent; and although his nerves may 
not be of tlie best kind, nor his motive in following 
the army good, he is less an extortioner than your un- 
improved Yankee, who sets up in business as his rival. 
But I must turn again to matters concerning our divi- 
sion. J 



318 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

We had seen the fleet of transports, presenting a 
grand and exciting scene, depart with their freight of 
troops, return and again depart, increasing the sting 
of our disappointment, which in Franklin's division 
was daily manifesting itself in various ways. This 
feeling of disappointment was increased into open ex- 
pressions of dissatisfaction when a rumor came that 
the President had made a change in the programme, 
that the First Corps had been detached from General 
McClellan's command, and that we were not to go to 
the Peninsula. This report was soon confirmed; and 
tlie confirmation produced a feeling of indignation it 
would be difficult to describe. Officers gathered to- 
gether in groups, some discussing, others boldly de- 
nouncing the means by which such a change had been 
brought about. The men took up the feeling and dis- 
cussed the subject in their tents, in their rude but hon- 
est way. Their hearts and their confidence were with 
McClellan; and their anxiety to be with him and under 
his command was the best proof of the opinion they 
held concerning McDowell as a general. It was re- 
ported at the same time that tliis change had been 
brought about through the influence of McDowell; and 
the report gained force from the fact that he was much 
in Washington, and had not been seen by the army for 
several days. Some officers high in rank even charged 
that, with his proverbial weakness for intrigue, he liad 
taken advantage of McClellan's absence to prejudice 
the President's mind against the plan of campaign on 
the Peninsula ; and that after he had sanctioned it in 
the council of war on the 13tli of ]\Iarch. The com- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 319 

iiionest understanding can easily see what must liave 
been llie eCfect on soldiers by reports such as these. 
It may have been very pleasant to General McDowell's 
feelings to be thus accommodated with an independent 
command ; but, to a great majority of the officers of 
Franklin's division, it was mortifying indeed to be 
compelled to serve under such a commander. These 
may not be grateful words to the ears of some persons, 
but the truth is best told when it is told undisguisedly. 
The feeling which at that time existed in the corps 
against this unfortunate General may be compared to 
that whicli manifests itself in the genius who is com- 
pelled to be subordinate to the man of less than com- 
mon understanding. 

This was the temper of the First Corps on the 3d of 
April, when orders were distributed through the camps 
for the men to prepare to march, with four days' 
"boiled rations." On the 4th, our division broke 
camp at the Seminary and marched to Ccntrevillo. 
We halted at Centreville nearly all day, waiting for 
the supply train to come up. The roads in places were 
almost impassable, and the trains had to struggle along 
under the greatest difficulties. The railroad was still 
scantily supplied with rollino^-stock, and the trains 
were nearly all occupied in bringing up infantry, at 
that time a favorite way of moving troops. We 
marched from Centreville to Manassas on the Gth, oc- 
cupying tlie comfortable log liuts we had left on ilio 
15th of March. The weather became cold and chilly, 
and both men and animals suffered terribly. It be- 
gan raining on the 7th, the wind came sharp and cut- 



320 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ting from the northeast in the afternoon ; and the cold 
increased until big fires and overcoats were necessary 
to keep the men comfortable. ITail succeeded rain 
and snow succeeded hail. Snow fell fast and heavy 
during the niglit and day of the 8th, until the ground 
was covered two inches deep, and the roads cliurned 
up into a bed of soft red clay, through which neitlier 
man nor beast could get without a desperate struggle. 
The people of the country told us that for severity 
they had seen nothing like tliis weather in Virginia. 

Blenker's division had been sent to Warrenton, and 
it was reported that it was suffering for want of sup- 
plies. A train was sent to its relief, guarded by a 
company of the First New York Cavalry, 

On the 7th a small force of the First New York 
Cavalry and some artillery and infimtry was sent out 
with orders to proceed to Catlett's Station. On the 
morning of the 8th it liad only reached Bristov/ Sla- 
tion, some six miles. Here its progress seemed (o ]>g 
stopped by snow and rain, which churned iri-to the mud 
until it were impossible to move with any degree of 
certainty as to when we would make another mile.^lt 
continued to rain on the 9t!i, and alternated with sleet 
and snow. No weather could be more trying to the 
constitution of man. The men had only coffee and 
liard bread for rations ; and the poor animals had lit- 
tle or no forage for nearly three days. Men, apj)a- 
rcntly the strongest and best able to endure hardship, 
broke down under the severity of this weather, and 
liad to be sent to the hospital. Colds were contracted 
which brought on permanent disability ; others were 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 321 

seiz d with intermittent fever. At such a time as this 
a moderate ration of whisky or some similar stimulant 
would liavc been a benefit to the men. But tliere was 
none to be had. One of those absurd orders, so fre- 
quently issued by the War Department at that time, 
and illustrating liow little the rulers of that depart- 
ment knew what the soldier needed on a trying march, 
had forbidden the sutlers to follow the army until fur- 
ther orders, and the commissary was not provided with 
stimulants. General Kearney, who always studied the 
best interests of his men, sent to Washington at Lis own 
expense, and, it was said, in violation of orders, and 
had his men provided with stimulants necessary to 
preserve their health. He declared that no absurd 
order of the War or any other department should pre- 
vent him from giving his men what they needed to 
relieve their suiffering.- 

On the 9th the advance reached Broad run, which 
was swollen to an uncommon height and its current 
very rapid. Fording was out of the question, and the 
old bridge, which our men made an attempt to repair, 
was not in a condition to cross artillery. The banks 
were also high and difficult. On the following morn, 
ing, the 10th, the water having subsided a little, some 
of the First New York Cavalry began swimming the 
stream, but the current ran so swiftly that the men lost 
command of their horses, both being carried far down 
the stream, and only gaining the opposite bank after 
a desperate struggle. Indeed, we lost several horses 
in this bold attempt to cross a dangerous stream. Cap- 
tain Stearns and Lieutenant Granger, two brave offi- 
15 



tJ:i2 THE STOIIY OF A TnOOPLR 

cers of the First New York, were carried away from 
their horses in the middle of the stream, and only res- 
cued from drowning after the most heroic ellbrts made 
by Lieutenants Martindale and Bailey. When brought 
to shore they were completely benumbed and almost 
insensible. It was indeed next to madness to attempt 
to cross such a stream with the means then at hand. 
Captain Arnold very properly refused to trust his bat- 
tery on such unsafe means, and did not cross. In the 
afternoon the water rose some two feet in as many 
hours. Some of our men attempted to get back; but, 
finding the danger too great, gave it up and proceeded 
to make themselves as comfortable as they could for 
the night. Some of them got into an old mill, taking 
their horses with them, cooking their coffee at a fire 
made from the machinery. Others sought refuge in 
farm houses near by, cultivating an acquaintance 
with the inmates and securing a necessary supply of 
provisions. Some of the farmers in the neighborhood 
had very valuable sheep and cattle, which it was no- 
ticed our German troopers laid violent hands upon 
without making the first inquiry as to the owner's loy- 
alty. With these Germans the farmer who had fat 
mutton and beef in his yard was sure to be disloyal, 
and unworthy of having his table spread with such 
delicacies, which they would coolly transfer to their 
own. Sometimes they would invite the owner to dine 
with them, but that was a matter of politeness only. 

On the 11th, the weather having improved and the 
water in Broad run considerably subsided, we crossed, 
with some difficulty however, and proceeded on our 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 323 

marcli to Catlott's Station. The people here were un- 
i^^'^takably in favor of secession, and openly manifested 
their sympathy for the South and their hatred of the 
North. If you asked them why they did this, they 
could give you no good reason. They knew only what 
they had been taught by their political demagogues; 
and these they followed with the mental blindness of 
children. And, indeed, so bitter was the hate enter- 
tained for us by some of these people, that men out at 
night were shot and killed inside our picket line. 

Learning that the enemy had fallen back behind the 
Rappahannock, and, indeed, was retreating with his 
main force towards Richmond, our division (Franklin's) 
lell back to Manassas, recrossing Broad run on the 
12th. Here Franklin received the order detaching 
him from McDowell's command, and ordering him to 
proceed with his division and join McClellan on the 
Peninsula. I was not present when General Franklin 
received this order, but those who were told me that 
he received it with evident satisfaction, his face light- 
ing up with a smile in wliich any one acquainted with 
him could read the feeliygs of his heart. The news of 
this order, as it spread througli the division, was re- 
ceived with great rejoiring among both officers and 
men. In writing of it at the time, I made use of the 
following language : " I do not know why it is, but 
among the men (and here is where you get correct opin- 
ions concerning the worth of commanders) there is a 
want of proper respect for McDowell. His lack of 
generalship, so convincingly „. ..played at Bull Run, has 
cost him their confidence. Wliile amonf? officers of 



O.' 



24 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tlie regular army, men wliose sense of honor has not 
yet been blunted by political associations, there exists 
a feeling of deep dislike, engendered, no doubt, by the 
shape his hostility towards McOi'^lian has taken. Our 
division was never happy under him; and there was 
great rejoicing to-day among-^ officers and men when 
the order came that was once more to transfer us from 
his command to that of McClellan." 

The weather had changed for the better, and the 
roads continued to improve. Our backward move- 
ment commenced early on the morning of the 12th, 
and the scene that followed was exciting in the ex- 
treme. The men cheered, exchanged congratulations, 
and as they marched along sang songs in which Mc- 
Clellan was the hero. Each railroad train, as it came 
rushing down the road crowded with soldiers in evory 
part, numbers riding on the engines, made the very air 
resound with shouts of joy. Before dark our infantry 
were nearly all located, some in new quarters near 
Alexandria, others in their old camps on" the hills out- 
side. A general cleaning up and getting out of the 
mud followed. 

The Lincoln Cavalry made the first long and rapid 
march of the war during this movement. Two battal- 
ions were at Weaverstown when the order came to 
return to Alexandria. In less than half an hour after 
receiving it the men were in the saddle and moving. 
Takino: the road throuo'h Centreville, they reached 
Camp Kearney before sundown, making a march of 
forty miles in less than twenty-four hours. This was 
good mai'ching for horsco that had been without forage 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. ' 825 

more than half the time since leaving the banks of the 
Potomac. Indeed, the poor animals seemed animated 
with a knowledge that they were going in the direc- 
tion of forage, and seemed quite as anxious as the men 
to get back to their old quarters. 

On the 14th we moved down to the vicinity of Alex- 
andria, and got ready to embark with the rest of the 
troops. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



HUMOROUS SCENES. 

Our campaign to Catlett's Station and back, althoug;' 
made through deep mud and in the severest of weatl ei , 
was not wUhout incidents of an amusing characer. 
Ne ther Crump, the bugler, nor Von Plopp, his mas e 
those exploits have been faithfully recorded ,n » 
Wstory, hid been seen near the front during ou fli .t 
advance into Manassas. It was reported that Von 
Filpp took Crump with him to bear witness that what 
he saw was truth when he made love to tlie secesh l.i- 
dies, for indeed he was in the habit of g.vmg such ac^ 
counts of himself that no sensible person would behoe 
them unless he had an endorser for everything he sa d 
arTthis he found in his trumpeter ^nd now, van . 
were the surmises as to what had caused t us a^^^^^^ 
of Maior Von Flopp and his bugler. The Maoi u 
was wdl known, halco.ne to the field possessed^ 
variety of .houlder- straps, denoting ^f^t'^^^^, 

ft-om a first lieutenant to a ■"^.l-'f "^7' ■'^°'^; t 
be expected to wear at no very distant d. 1 lia c 

bearin-v the two stars he would show to hi. mend 
'"t a^n air of oxuUa.ion, saying that to w,,. then, a 



TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 327 

man Iiad only to sliow that he had courage, which he 
intended to do when a chance olTered. 

The Major, I may add, spent much of his time, and 
also the time of his bugler, in procuring certificates of 
his great military ability. And these he would get by 
the score, from good-natured officers who wanted the 
regiment rid of him, and saw no surer way of securing 
the blessing than b}- recommending that the President 
honor liim witii the highest promotion in his gift. It 
may not be generally known that this mode of getting 
rid of wortliless or obnoxious officers was quite com- 
mon in tlie arm}^ at one time, which may, in a measure, 
account for tlie great number of useless brigadier 
generals now on the hands of the nation, but out of 
employment. When all other means of getting an 
incompetent out of a regiment failed, the officers would 
furnisli liim with any number of certificates, and work 
until they had secured his promotion to a brigadier 
general or any other rank that would relieve them of 
his presence. Tlie army is not so prolific of fools now; 
hence there is less need of practicing such deceptions. 
And, too, our good-natured President has come to be 
mucli wiser in military matters; and, indeed, is less in- 
clined than formerly (o waste his admiration on men who 
come to him for promotion blowing their own horns. 

Some said Von Flopp had gone to Washington 
armed with a huge bundle of these certificates, and 
was astonishing tlie War Department with his wisdom 
on war. Indeed, it was more than hinted that he had 
found a way to the affections of the Secretary of War, 
who promised that he should be a brigadier general 



328 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

whenever he could induce one to get killed off and cre- 
ate a vacancy. Others said the Major, when last seen, 
was enjoying his arm chair and feather bed at the 
house of a violent secessionist, for whose political 
opinions he had the highest respect and sympathy. 

Be this as it may, I only know that the battalion 
Yon Flopp claimed the honor of commanding, but never 
did, was moving quietly along the Little River turn- 
pike, during our second advance to Manassas, when 
the Major suddenly made his appearance, accompanied 
by Crump, who sounded a halt on his bugle. The sun 
was setting in a deep black cloud, and the column was 
within a mile or two of Annandale, as quiet a village 
as could be found anywhere, and as seen through the 
deep shadows of evening, seemed to sleep peacefully 
in the valley at the foot of some high hills. The Ma- 
jor's appearance created no little excitement as well as 
amusement among the men, who were sure to greet 
him with all sorts of unpleasant sounds. As to his 
bugler, they more than once tossed him into a ditcli, a 
way they had of showing their disrespect for his 
master. 

The Major was mounted on his best charger, was 
armed to the very teeth, upholstered in his gayest uni- 
form, and, indeed, was in every way as feathery as an 
Austrian sub-lieutenant. The column came to a halt, 
and the senior Captain, who was in command, and knew 
that Yon Flopp would give him no little trouble and 
annoyance, rode up, and after making the customary 
salute, inquired why he interfered with his command. 

"Roast me 1" ejaculated the Major. "Did you ever 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 329 

hear an}- thing like tliat, Crump?" Here he turned to 
Crump, who blushed, but made no reply. Then turn- 
ing to the Captain, he continued : " You are a good sol- 
dier and a brave man, Captain, and therefore it is that 
I have always respected you and spoken well of you 
in the face of your enemies. Now, sir, let there be no 
more of this disrespect to a superior officer — " 

" We have no time to spend here," interrupted the 
Captain, who was a sensible man, and one of the best 
officers in the cavalry service. " It is still ten miles 
to Fairfax Court House, and we must camp there be- 
fore nine o'clock." 

" As I say," rejoined the Major. " You must know, 
sir, that I assume command of this battalion. Yes, 
sir, I command this party, and see you now that you 
respect my rank and obey my orders." The Major 
said this with such a degree of pomp and self-satisfac- 
tion that the Captain smiled and was about to return 
to In's position and put the column in motion. 

"Stop, sir, stop," said the Major; "your superior 
officer will dismiss you when he is done with you. And 
now, see you, sir, I have a job for this battalion, and 
intend that it shall distinguish itself. But roast me, 
Captain, you must respect my rank and obey my 
orders — " 

" You shall be respected, and your orders obeyed," 
interrupted the Captain, who saw there was no other 
way of getting over the annoyance. "I will receive 
vQur orders." 

" Then bring your men to front face, two deep," re- 
plied the Major, lifting liis hat, " for I have a speech 
15" 



330 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

to make to these men, and you will see what an efiecfc 
it will have on their courage/' The Captain obeyed 
the order and soon had his men in line, and the officers 
in their places. The Major now spurred his charger 
and pranced up aiid down the line with his sabre 
drawn, two or three times, followed by Crump, making 
all sorts of grimaces behind his back, which drew 
roars of laughter from the men. He now halted in 
the centre of the line and began addressing them in a 
manner so wild and rambling as to increase the merri- 
ment he was affording them. He complimented theuj 
on their fine soldierly appearance, told them he knew 
they were all friends of his, that the good condition of 
their horses was an honor to them, that he felt it an 
honor to be their commander, that the time would come 
when, like himself, they would all hold high and hon- 
orable positions in the army, and have a grand and 
glorious record for their children to be proud of. He 
told them he had resolved on the capture of Annandale; 
that they must make a sudden dash into it, and take it 
while the enemy was in confusion; that they must show 
by their deeds that they were brave men and gentle- 
men; and that he, as their commander, would show 
them that he was a brave officer and a gentleman. 
The men greeted this speech with increased laughter. 

" You see, sir," said he, turning to the Captain, " the 
speech has had a good effect on the men. This applause 
is proof of it." 

" Applause ?" interrogated the Captain, a curl of con- 
tempt on his lip. " Do you not know that they take 
you for a fool, and are laughing at your folly ? — " 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. o3l 

*' Roast me !" interposed the Major, who had been 
called a fool so often that he only smiled to hear it re- 
peated. " Many a wiser man than me's called a fool; 
and a man is always master of his enemies when he 
treats them as if they were his friends. I know you 
are a friend of mine, Captain, and a clever fellow, and 
shall not ask you to give me satisfaction for this in- 
sult. We came here to fight the enemy, and it shall 
not be said of me that I got up quarrels witli my 
friends. Get the column in motion, and we will pro- 
ceed to the taking of this town." 

" You cannot be sincere in this matter?'' returned the 
Captain, with a salute. " I know of no town so much 
at peace with the world as Annandale. There has not 
been a rebel in it these six weeks; and as for the 
women and children who remain, their thoughts are 
most occupied about how they are to get something to 
eat." 

" All the better," replied the Major, with a bow; " if 
there are no rebels in the place then there will be no 
harm done. An appearance put in is just as good as 
a victory gained. A good general counts the moral 
as well as physical effects he can produce. If, then, 
we dash in and capture this town of Annandale, and it 
turn out that there be no rebels in it, in wliicli event 
there would be no bloodslied, why, tlierc would be a 
great moral effect gained. In this, mark you. Captain, 
that it would show the rebels what sort of men they 
had to deal with, and when their commander once re- 
solved to take a town, he would do it if it were 
crammed with rebels." 



332 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Seeing there was little use for any more reason, the 
Captain put liis column in motion, proceeding by fours, 
at a brisk walk. It was now quite dark, the roads 
were heavy, and in places very wet, for it was begin- 
ning to rain, and a cold biting wind made the weather 
quite uncomfortable. They had not proceeded many 
yards when the Major called Crump, and directed him 
to say to the Adjutant that he wanted to see him. Now, 
the Adjutant was a fine young soldier, a man of sense 
and good education. He bore the Major no good will, 
and, indeed, had several times made him the victim of 
practical jokes, for which the Major was resolved ta 
make him a fair return whenever he got an opportu- 
nity. 

The Adjutant rode up, making a reluctant salute, 
and inquiring what orders he had to give. 

" Orders enough to keep you on active duty all 
night," said the Major, assuming an air of great pomp. 
" And see that you execute them like an lionest man, 
and an officer. Ride you now to tlio head of tlie col- 
umn and tell Captain H to trot." Away went 

the Adjutant, his horse tossing the m.ud at every step, 
delivered the order, and came back to report. The 
column now proceeded at a brisk trot for several min- 
utes. " As you delivered that order so well, Adjutant, 
I have another. Ride again to the head of the column 

and tell Captain H that the officer in command 

desires him to move the column at a gallop." Away 
went the Adjutant again, throwing mud at every jump, 
delivered the order and came back to report. The 
column now struck a gallop, which so covered the Ma- 



THE STORY OF A TilOOPER. 333 

jor with mud and threatened serious damage to liis 
new uniform, that he ordered Crump to sound a halt 
on his bugle. This not being heeded, he ordered his 
Adjutant to again proceed to the head of the column 
and say it was the order of the ofiQcer in command 
that the column proceed at a walk. In this way he 
kept the poor Adjutant riding to and from the head of 
the column until his feelings were outraged, his pa- 
tience exhausted, and his spirited little horse com- 
pletely jaded out, and reeking with foam and mud. 
But tlie Major was only asserting the power which 
rank gives to a fool. 

" I care nothing for myself. Major," said the Adju- 
tant, " but if you have any pity for my poor horse, 
please show it by shortening the number of orders you 
would have me execute." 

The Major made no reply to this request, but again 
ordered the Adjutant to proceed to the head of the col- 
umn and say to the Captain that the officer in command 
ordered him to trot when he got within a mile of An- 
nandale, and wlien witliin lialf a mile dash full gallop 
into the town. " Say to him/' he added, " that as there 
are four buglers, they shall ride ten paces ahead, blow- 
ing on their instruments and making all the noise they 
can.'' Tlie Adjutant was about to proceed with the 
order, when tlie Major stopped him suddenly, and, with 
an air of great concern, said : " Tell him not to get 
frightened if he sees the enemy, since his superior offi- 
cer will lead the charge and make the capture in 
person." 

The Adjutant shrugged his slioulders and muttered 



334 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

something about a madman 'who had mistaken his busi- 
ness. He proceeded, however, to execute the order, 
which the Captain received with an exclamation it 
would not be proper to insert here. 

" What did he say about carrying oui my orders, 
Adjutant ?" inquired the Major, as that perplexed and 
fatigued officer returned to report. 

" Many things it would not be pleasant for a Major 
of cavalry to hear," replied the Adjutant, dryly, as he 
shook the rain from his cap. " Among others, that 
you were a donkey in shoulder straps, but didn't 
know it." 

" Did he, though ?" rejoined Von Flopp, with a 
forced laugh. "He is a clever fellow, that Captain, 
and must have said this in the way of a joke. You 
see. Adjutant, he is a friend of mine, therefore it would 
not become me to demand satisfaction of him for these 
little slips of the tongue. When you carry another 
order, give him my compliments, and say that his supe 
rior officer holds him in profound respect.'' 

In a few minutes more the column was dashing at a 
full gallop into Annandale, the Major flourishing his 
sabre at its head, and shouting, come on men ! come 
on ! follow your leader ! The four buglers, I must add, 
rode a few paces aliead, making louder and more dis- 
cordant sounds than have been heard anywhere since 
the fall of Jericho. The blowing of these horns, the 
sharp clanking of sabres, and the quick, heavy tramp 
of horses, awoke the still, sleeping village from its 
slumbers, and so alarmed the poor people that they 
Ihonglit their last day had come. Here a liglit glim- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 335 

mered in a window, and there a pale face looked out 
into the shadowy darkness. There a shadowy figure 
stood in a half opened door, then disappeared at the 
appearance of a drenched and muddy trooper. The 
column dashed up and down the town for several min- 
utes, the Major being in a state of distraction, and not 
knowing how to give the command necessary to bring 
it to order. Annandale was agitated that night, but 
not one of its alarmed inhabitants ventured out be- 
yond the threshold of their doors. 

When the column was brought to order, the Major 
proceeded to compliment the men for their bravery. 
He told them they were all brave men and gentlemen; 
and that the capture of this town should be recorded 
to their honor. He then ordered strong guards posted 
in various parts of the town. The inn and the town 
pump had an especial guard, with instructions not to 
let the people poison the water of the latter, nor our 
troopers get any bad whiskey at the former, which was 
as shabby-looking a concern as could be found any- 
where in Virginia. He also ordered pickets posted in 
the outskirts, to the west and south, declaring that no 
enemy should surprise him that night. 

This done, he ordered Crump to call the Adjutant. 
" And now, Adjutant,'' said he, addressing that officer, 
*' knowing you to be a brave man, and not afraid of 
your duty, I have selected you to bear an important 
order to General Kearney, who is a friend of mine, a 
gentleman, and always salutes me when lie meets me. 
Go to him with all speed, report that I have capturvxl 



336 TUE STOHY OF A TROOPER. 

Annandale, and don't forget to add that I intend to 
hold it until he sends me a reinforcement of infantry." 

The Adjutant stood amazed at sucli an order, and 
well he might, for his poor horse was jaded out, and lie 
had not tasted food since morning. Besides, there was 
no knowing where to find Kearney, whose command 
was on the road to Manassas. And to convey so ri- 
diculous a report to so sensible a general would only 
have been to excite his indignation and bring the poor 
Adjutant to grief at the reply he would get. He 
thereupon remonstrated with the Major on tlic folly of 
sending such a report, as well as tlie impossibility of 
delivering it without killing his horse. But the more 
he remonstrated the more demonstrative the Major be- 
came, declaring that he would not have an Adjutant 
of his battalion cross arguments with him when he had 
an order to send. 

Thereupon the Adjutant drew his sabre, saying : 
"If you are my superior, it is only in the shoulder- 
straps. Take them off ; and if you insult my argu- 
ments I can cross sabres with you! Do jon under- 
stand ?" 

" No, sir !" replied the Major, " I never understand 
that sort of talk from a man who is only a Lieutenant." 
He now called Crump and ordered liim first to sound 
boots and saddles, and then bring the senior Captain to 
him. And while he was gone, seeing there were no 
witnesses within hearing, the Adjutant began cursing 
the Major for a fool and a madman ; told him he ought 
to be whipped at the tail of a cart, and then drammed 
out of the arm}^ for a noodle. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. ij31 

" Stop sir, stop !'^ said Yon Flopp, assuming an air 
of profound wisdom. "Do you not know that by the 
rules of war it would be my duty to shoot you down 
for language like this, addressed to a superior officer 
in the face of the enemy ?" 

"As to shooting,^' replied the Adjutant, angrily, 
throwing aside his water-proof cape and touching the 
hilt of his pistol, " two can amuse themselves at that 
play. You have made a fool of yourself to-night, and 
if you have any message for General Kearney, take it 
yourself. I don't Avant to get kicked out of his tent.'^ 

Yon Flopp had captured the town of Annandale, and 
found it a sore burden on his hands. If he didn't get 
the report of his victory to some general officer, and 
that very soon, why, the glory would all slip away from 
him. The senior Captain now rode up, and reported 
that both men and horses were suffering terribly from 
cold and wet ; that the horses were jaded out, and the 
men had not tasted food since morning ; that, as there 
was no enemy near, it was the first duty of those in 
command to see that they had food and some place of 
shelter for tbe night. 

" A good soldier," said the Major, smiling, " never 
minds cold and rain ; and as to rations for the men, 
and forage for the horses, why, sir, when 1 was in Mexi- 
co fighting for my country, and had General Scott for 
a friend, we used to go forty-eight hours without either, 
and think nothing of it. But, roast me, sir, I have a 
matter of more importance to bring before you. Hav- 
ing captured this town, which is showing you tljat I 



338 THE STORY OF A TROOPER.' 

am no lout, but a man of courage, this Adjutant of 
mine insults me by calling me names — '' 

" Pray, what did lie call you?" interrupted the Cap- 
tain. 

" Names not commonly mentioned in the regulations, 
sir, I assure you," returned Yon FIopp, in a whisper. 
Then turning to the indignant Adjutant, lie continued, 
" And now, sir, if you will be kind enough to repeat 
what you said, just for the benefit of the Captain, you 
know." 

The Adjutant shook his head and begged to be ex- 
cused. 

*' If I must do it myself, I will," said the Major. 
** But it is grievous, very grievous, sir, to be called so 
many of these names and know you don't deserve 
them." Here he drew near to the Captain, and whis- 
pered in his ear : " You shall know, sir, that he called 
me a fool. Yes, sir, and he added madman !" 

" You should order him in arrest at once," returned 
the Captain, jokingly, " file charges against him, and 
have him tried by court-martial. You will then have 
an opportunity to prove that you are a sensible man, 
and no fool." 

" Thank you. Captain, tha.ik you," returned the 
Major, raising his sabre and making a respectful bow. 
*' You give me the advice of a friend. Roast me, but 
I shall follow it. And now. Adjutant," he continued, 
turning to that officer, " get you in arrest, and there 
remain until you receive further orders from me." 

The Adjutant made a salute and thanked him, for he 
was glad to be free from a coaimander who ha. I given 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 339 

him so mucli trouble and labor. He then rode quietly 
away to the inn, got up the innkeeper, a tall, leathery 
sort of man, with an ochre-colored face and a haggard 
look, and dressed in coarse, well-worn homespun, and 
in whose every motion there was alarm and suspicion 
depicted. 

" Hain't got much to give you," said the innkeeper, 
as the Adjutant entered, shaking the water from his 
clothes, then swinging his cap for the same purpose. 
" Folks about here was mighty well to do once. Bin 
stripped of everything now, first by your folks an 
then by ourn — I meant to say (he corrected himself) 
first by ourn folks, thenbyyourn. Folks is mighty 
poor round here now.. Hain't a pig nor a chicken in 
the village. Hain't bin a race nor a chicken fight in 
more nor two years. Nothin made by keepin tavern 
now. Virginy's mighty bad off since this war beginned. 
diggers is all runned away, teu." Thus he moodily 
muttered his complaints, while catching the few words 
of sympathy that fell from the Adjutant's lips, as if 
they afforded him sweet consolation. 

" I only want some fodder for my horse," said the 
Adjutant, taking a seat before the great old-fashioned 
fire-place, from which a few charred sticks gave out a 
sickly light. " And if you couM get me up a punch I 
would be thankful, and pay you, too." The man pro- 
vided corn husks for the horse, and the Adjutant was 
in a few minutes enjoying a good warm punch, for 
which he thanked the landlord and the man that made 
apple-jack. He continued to enjoy himself in this 
way until nearly midniglit 



8-10 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

In the meantime the Major had been galloping up 
and down the main street, for Annandale only had one, 
keeping up a general state of alarm. Then he sent 
orderlies to inspect the guards and pickets, and bring 
him back reports. He also kept Crump busy, making 
all sorts of noises on his bugle, which, he said, was to 
let the people know that he still held their town, and 
was master of the situation. 

The captains now got together and proceeded to 
remonstrate with Yon Flopp on the extreme folly of 
his conduct, as well as the suffering it was inflicting on 
the men and animals. The group had, for shelter, 
taken a position under a tree just in front of a two 
story wood house. Presently a light glimmered in one 
of the upper windows. Then the window slowly 
opened, a trembling hand protruded, and was followed 
by a tall white niglit-cap and an agitated head. All 
eyes were now turned towards the strange figure, for 
the face was pale and spectre-like, and a big pair of 
spectacles gave deeper strength to the picture. The 
Major lifted his reins, as if to change his position. 

" Don't get alarmed, Major,'^ said one of the officers, 
"its only a woman, and old at that." 

" Is you the man what's creatin all tliis arr raket ?" 
inquired a dry, husky voice, speaking in a broad, Vir- 
ginia accent. " Is you the man what's bin a tuten on 
his horn all the living night long, disturbin sick folks, 
and makin it so a body can't git a winko' sleep. What 
on arth do ye want here, anyhow, a frightenin peace- 
able folks most to death? Thir ain't nobody in this 
village what's goin to hurt yen." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 841 

This, for a moment, upset all tlie Major^s pomp and 
dignity. " Madame," said lie, '' I have been known 
all my life for my politeness to ladies. We are here 
to protect you. Yes, madame, to defend you against 
your enemies, and to see that you are not disturbed by 
rebels — " 

" Tute'n on yer horn ain't no way to do it," replied 
the woman, her agitation increasing, and her voice 
growing more husky. *' If its whip'n on the rebels yeu 
come'd here fir, why don't ye go out an whip 'em ? 
Ye'll find 'em ready for ye, any time I 'Taint sayin 
much for yer courage to be tute'n yer horn round here 
all night, keepin folks awake. Might find somethin 
better fir raakiu a livin at. Your folks thinks they's 
mighty smart, disturbing us poor people this ere way." 
This little episode was cut short by the fat Dutch bu- 
gler, who came at a full gallop up the muddy street, 
blowing his bugle at the very top of his wind, and 
creating intense alarm. The woman withdrew, shut 
the window, and put out the light, just as the Major was 
about to reply, and say that he was a man of peace, and 
had come with these horsemen to show her that he was a 
friend of the Southern people. The noisy bugler cut 
short his little speech, however, and threw the speaker 
into a state of deep agitation, for he brought a report 
that a large force of Ashby's cavalry had got in our rear, 
and was manoeuvring to cut us off. Yon Flopp now 
begged the senior Captain to lose no more time in An- 
nandale, but get the battalion in order and move at 
once for Manassas. That as there was no further need 
of his presence, he would go in search of his friend, 



342 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

General Kearney, and report in person the capture lie 
had made, and show to the Adjutant that he, at least, 
was no coward. The last seen of Yon Flopp that 
night he was making his way out of the town at a full 
gallop, followed by Crump and two orderlies. 

It is almost needless to tell the reader that this was 
a trick, played by the officers to get rid of Von Flopp, 
who they knew was an arrant coward, without the 
slightest taste for fighting. In truth, his love for 
the enemy never found him within pistol shot of him. 
The battalion was now got in order, the Adjutant de- 
prived of his comfort at the inn, and proceeded to the 
outskirts of the town, where there was a respectable 
looking farm house, and a stack of fodder, which was 
served to the hungry and shivering animals. Here a 
bivouac was made for the rest of the night, and the 
men made fires and proceeded to make themselves as 
comfortable as the weather and the means at hand 
would admit. 

Setting out early on the following morning, the bat- 
talion reached Manassas Junction and encamped during 
the afternoon. Von Flopp, with his bugler and order- 
lies, had arrived some hours before, circulating reports 
of the most extraordinary kind concerning his adven- 
tures at Annandale. Indeed, he had told no less than 
a dozen lies, all of which Crump was ready to swear 
to, notwithstanding the orderlies, who were men of 
truth, declared every one of them to be sheer romance. 
Among other things, he told them that in capturing 
Annandale he found a force of rebel cavalry and drove 
them through and at least two miles beyond the town, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 343 

in the direction of the Occoquan; that he would have 
captured at least a troop of them but for the cowardly 
conduct of some of his officers; that at least a dozen 
bullets came so close to him that he could feel them. 
With such stories as these, and a few of a different 
kind which Crump added to make the account square 
with his master's, he quite astonished a number of very 
enterprising newspaper correspondents, who gathered 
about him and eagerly noted down every word that fell 
from his lips, which they would have given to the world 
for truth but for the senior Captain, who came up in 
time to prevent so great a misfortune. There wasthia 
to be said of Von Flopp, that, holding that truth had 
no advantages over falsehood, he came in time to be- 
lieve there was truth enough in whatever he told, and 
all that was required was to stick to it. 

The Major now saw there was a storm brewing about 
his ears, and that a number of unpleasant epithets were 
being aimed at liim, for the part he had taken in the 
capture of Annandale. To avoid these, he made his 
way to a neighboring farm house, where he engaged 
comfortable lodgings and such fare as the good woman 
could spread her table with. Two days passed, and 
nothing was seen of Von Flopp or his faithful bugler. 

The next day was Sunday, and the quiet of the after- 
noon was broken and the camp thrown into a state of 
violent excitement by a report that Major Von Flopp 
had got into a difficulty with one of the Dutcli captains, 
and there was likely to be some bloodshed. Now, the 
name of tliis Captain was Gustavo Otto, a man of fiery 
temper and fierce appearance, for no man in the regi- 



344 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ment carried a higher head or wore longer spurs, or, 
indeed, could eat more Bologna sausage. He com- 
manded the company through which Yon Flopp found 
a means of getting into the regiment as a lieutenant; 
and after being the firmest of friends they had become 
the bitterest of enemies. The cause of the quarrel was 
some unsettled account, in which the German charged 
that he had been defrauded by Yon Flopp; and finding 
he could get a settlement in no other way, applied to 
him all manner of epithets he could command, calling 
him everything but an honest man and a gentleman, 
and, indeed, challenging him to mortal combat. The 
officers in the immediate vicinity gathered around the 
combatants, but were not inclined to interfere, feeling 
that it was a falling out between rogues, and if one 
told the truth of the other, the result would be a bene- 
fit to the regiment. It soon became apparent, however, 
that there would be no blood spilt, for Yon Flopp 
heard the character given of him by the German with- 
out the slightest resentment, saying that as he was un- 
armed he would not give him satisfaction then, nor 
would it become him to do so on the Sabbath day. He 
would, however, pledge his honor as an officer and 
gentleman, that this insult to a superior officer should 
receive his attention on the following morning. Thus 
saying, he took his departure for the farm house, cheered 
by several of the officers, but somewhat crest-fallen. 

The prospect of a duel on the following morning 
created quite a lively feeling among many of the offi- 
cers, and bets were freely offered and taken as to 
whether tlie affair vrould end seriously. Alex, the 



TIIi: STOllY OF A TROOPER. 345 

Irish Lieutenant, was wild with joy over the prospect 
of a fight, and sent his compliments to the Major to 
say that if he wanted a friend he had only to call on 
him, and he would sit up all night to get the weapons 
ready. In addition to this, the little doctor, who would 
have enjoyed nothing better than seeing Von Flopp 
killed, sent to say that as the Major might need his 
services in the affair of honor that was to come off in 
the morning, he would be ready at any hour he might 
please to name. 

These little attentions had a serious effect on Von 
Flopp's mind, for his courage was brought to a test at 
last it was never before put to. He sat up until a late 
hour that night, now walked the room, now examined 
his pistols, then sat in his rocking chair, moody and 
contemplative. The good woman at whose house he 
was, noticing his distressed state of mind, sought sev- 
eral times to console him, and at length begged that 
he would tell her what was causing him this anxiety 
of mind. 

He shook his head, put his right hand to his heart, 
and then heaved a heavy sigh. '• Its no trifling matter, 
madame — no trifling matter," said he, his voice tremb- 
ling and choking. " If I should be brought in a corpse 
in the morning — " 

" A corpse ! a corpse !" interrupted the woman, rais- 
ing her hands in astonishment, as the Major raised his 
eyes sorrowfully. " Then there's going to be a battle 
atween our folks and your'n ? La's me, heow your 
folks did run at Bull Run. Don't want to see 'em run 
so again. You war'nt with 'em that time ?'' 
16 



y4(5 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

" No, madame, its not a battle — a matter of a more 
serious character. An affair of honor. And if I am 
killed by my antagonist, there's an end of me, and 
you'll see me brougut in a corpse; " replied the Major, 
shaking his head. 

" An affair of honor I" exclaimed the woman. "La's 
me. What do you Union officers want to fight duels 
for. Think they might find fightin enough with our 
folks. My poor husband had a duel once. Afore he 
jined the Southern army, though." 

Von Flopp was somewhat disappointed that he did 
not receive more sympathy from the woman, who pro- 
posed now to make ]\im a cup of strong tea and get 
hot water for his feet. She also wanted to know if ho 
could not settle it with the gentleman in some more 
quiet way than shooting at him with pistols. 

" Ah, madame," he replied, taking and squeezing her 
hand, " there's my honor. What am I to do with that? 
The whole regiment expects me to protect it against 
the insults of this man, who is no gentleman, as you 
would have seen if you had heard the language he 
used. By the rules of the service, either he must kill 
me or I must kill him. If he kills me, I pray you, 
madame, to see me decently buried." 

" La's me," replied the woman, quickly, '' there shan't 
be no thin wanting as I can do to give you a genteel 
funeral." 

" A genteel funeral," repeated the Major to himself, 
"doesn't sound well when a man is so far away from 
11 is friends." 

He now requested the woman to bring him some 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 847 

paper and ink, as it would be necessary for him to 
make a will; and as lie had few friends, and no rela- 
tives he cared for, and an ample fortune, he would leave 
her comfortable for the rest of her life. This he would 
do as a reward for her kindness, and because he saw 
she was a good and honest woman, against whose vir- 
tue not a word could be said. 

The woman now shed numerous tears, but they were 
tears of joy rather than sorrow. Hastening into an- 
other room, she soon returned with a bottle of ink and 
paper enough to make a dozen wills. " Oh, sir," she 
said, setting them down on the table, " you are too 
kind to remember me in your will. Depend on it, sir, 
if you are killed I will see that you have a genteel fu- 
neral." The woman was about to withdraw and bid 
him good night, when he put his arm about her waist 
and would liave kissed her, merely to lighten his grief. 
" Please don't do that, sir," said the woman, drawing 
quickly away from him, " or I shall not think you so 
kind and generous as you would have me think you. 
Good night, sir, good night. I shall rise early and at- 
tend to your wants." The woman retired for the night, 
leaving Yon Flopp, a disappointed man, to his ink and 
paper. 

The weather on the following morning was raw and 
chilly. Reveille had sounded and the camp was astir 
early. At six o'clock Crump was seen sitting on a log 
near headquarters breakfasting on numerous hard 
crackers and a piece of salt pork. One asked him 
why he was not messing with his master; another in- 
quired how his master slept. Crump was not inclined 



o 



48 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 



to reply to these questions, lest wliat lie might say 
should bring him a kick or a cuff. It was the misfor- 
tune of Crump that he was made to sliare the ill-will 
the regiment bore his master, and, indeed, got no end 
of kicks and cuffs on his account. When however, he 
had eaten his breakfast he began capering about and 
making sundry guttural noises on his bugle. 

Several of the officers, who were sitting in a group 
near headquarters, sent for Crump, and demanded to 
know why he was making these strange noises. Crump 
wiped his mouth with his sleeve, shook his head, looked 
first at one, then at the other. " Somebody's blood '11 
be shed this morning," he stammered out. "Su-sum- 
some — body's b-b-b-blood '11 be spilt — somebody '11 git 
hurt." 

" Who's going to do all this desperate work, Crump?" 
one of the officers inquired, smiling. " My master I 
Got his courage all screwed up. Bin keepin it screwed 
up all night. Bin shoo tin at a bull's eye out of a win- 
der for more nor an liour. Got so now he can hit it 
plump every shot. Got four big pistols in his belt. 
There '11 be some on ye burst when he comes down." 

The officers now sent for Captain Otto, and made 
Crump repeat what he had said in his presence, telling 
him at the same time that he had better make his will 
and prepare to get killed, for the Major was coming 
with no less than four pistols, and there was sure to be 
somebody hurt this time. Indeed, we all began to 
think, from what the bugler said, that Von Flopp had 
really got his courage up, and we should be entertained 
with a sort of offhand duel, fought without seconds or 



THE bTORY OF A TllOUPEll. S4:\) 

doctors. The German, liowcvcr, was iu nowise daunted, 
made liglit of tlie Major's courage, and intimated tliat 
lie was ready to cross sabres or do him at ten paces 
with pistols. 

I ought also to inform the reader that tlie good wo- 
man was up early and had an ample l)reakfast for the 
Major, and, indeed, did many other little things to 
quiet his mind and make him comfortable, for she re- 
membered Y/liat he had said about seeing her provided 
for in his will. And wlien he left the house she bid 
him good bye, adding : " And now, sir, I shall pray for 
you until I hear you are safe. Indeed, sir, I shall 
look for you back to dinner, for I am sure that with 
so many pistols you must kill your adversary." As 
soon as he was out of Bight she repaired to the table in 
search of the will, for she was anxious to see what 
share of his large fortune she was to get. Instead of 
the will she found he had not wasted a sheet of the 
paper. Indeed, to tell the truth, Yon Flopp had not 
a shilling in the world beside what came to him from 
his pay as an officer, and instead of wasting an inch of 
his candle over a will, had gone quietly to bed and 
slept soundly during the night. The good woman was 
grievously disappointed at this discovery, and began 
to think she had been deceived in the character of 
her guest. 

And now things began to look serious about head- 
quarters, for Von Flopp appeared, in full feather, ad- 
vancing over a piece of rising ground in the direction 
of the camp, two pistols in his belt, one in each hand, 
his longest spurs mounted, and liis sabre dangling about 
his heels. There was not a more ponderous figure to 



350 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

be seen anywhere, and as lie loomed out through the 
cold gray mist, his fat sides shaking as he picked his 
way through the mud, the picture he presented was ex- 
tremely ludicrous. 

The officers made way as he came up. " By the 
holy St. Patrick !'' exclaimed the Irish Lieutenant, 
thrusting his hands deep into his breeches pockets and 
moving aside, " here's a fight oneyhow; an the divila 
chance for a fellow to get a hand in.'' He had scarcely 
Tittered the sentence when the Major confronted the 
German Captain, and, in a menacing attitude, demanded 
to know what he had to say for himself; in other words, 
what excuse he had to offer for not being killed on the 
spot. " I would have you know, sir, that these pistols 
are loaded, and with balls, too, every one of them,'' 
said the Major, becoming pale with excitement, and 
his hands trembling violently. "I am a brave man, 
and I take it you are a brave man. Now, either you 
will repeat what you said yesterday and give me satis- 
faction, or make a proper apology, and I will forget 
the matter and consider you a gentleman." 

"As I do not understand English very well," replied 
the German, more quietly than he had ever done be- 
fore, "this little fellow shall interpret for me, and at 
ten or a dozen paces, as you may choose." Here he 
drew from a side pocket a pistol of exquisite finish, 
and with which Von Flopp had seen him make some 
remarkable shots from the saddle. The sight of it, 
and the hostile attitude the German was quick to take, 
increased the Major's nervousness to a remarkable de- 
gree. " I'm not to be frightened," he stammered rather 
than spoke, " not to bo frightened — no, I'm not — by 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 351 

the sight of that weapon. You don't know me if 3-011 
think yon can frighten me so easy. I am convinced 
now that you are no gentleman, therefore it would not 
become me, a superior officer, to put myself on a level 
with you by shooting you on the spot. But you shall 
be punished for this conduct of yours, and I have the 
power to do it.'' Here he aifected to get himself into 
a passion, and instead of shooting the German, rushed 
frantically to the Colonel's quarters, the crowd cheer- 
ing as he went, reported the insults he had received 
from Captain Otto, and demanded that he be placed in 
arrest. 

The Colonel was at first inclined to sympathize with 
Von Flopp, and granted the order, whereupon the Ger- 
man proceeded quietly to obey it, for he regarded the 
whole affair as a ridiculous farce, as indeed it really 
was. When, however, the Colonel had received a true 
account of the whole affair, he laughed as heartily as 
the rest, and when 10 o'clock came put an end to it by 
releasing Captain Otto and sending him with his com- 
pany to guard a supply train on its way to Warrenton, 
to relieve Blenker's division, wMch was reported to be 
in great distress for want of rations. 

Here again Yon Flopp's courage gave out when the 
crisis came. Indeed, he never could get it up when 
there was the slightest danger. He now went back to 
his comfortable lodgings, his feathers drooping and his 
powder wet — for it began to rain fast — disappointed at 
the luck he had met, as also was the good woman vvho 
was waiting him at the door. 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 



SCENES IN ALEXANDRIA— EMBARKATION FOR THE PENINSULA 

From the 12th to the 18th of April the sombre old 
town of Alexandria, in whose streets secession had 
i-aised so haughty a head when the war began, but where 
its advocates might now be seen looking humbled and 
dejected, presented a busy scene. Long lines of infantry 
marched and counter-marched through its streets, with 
banners flying, drums beating, and bands playing na- 
tional airs. Staff ofiScers and mounted orderlies dashed 
up and down the rugged pavement, carrying orders and 
arranging the details of embarkation. All night long 
the heavy tramp of horsemen, the ominous clatter of 
sabres, the " halt ! " of the provost guard, and the 
rumbling of artillery and subsistence trains, might be 
heard breaking the silence with their harsh sounds. 

Alexandria reminded one of a city long gone to de- 
cay, hopelessly conquered, its people broken in spirit, 
just waking up with a new and improved lease of life. 
CProvost marshals ordered all saloons to be closed, and 
issued stringent orders against the sale of liquor to sol- 
diers. But these orders seemed to have little effect, for 
the soldiers got liquor in some way, and not a few cases 
of disorder resulted from it." Then guards were kept 

352 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 853 

m 

busy day and night searching for officers and men who 
li'ad been decoyed from their commands by the gambler 
and the harlot — those vampires wlio hang about an 
army and harvest on the misfortunes of the soldier. 
Alexandria swarmed witli them then, as Alexandria 
swarms with them now, to the disgrace of the military 
authority that sets itself up as a necessity to preserve 
law and order.^ 

The scene on the river and at the wharves was equally 
busy and exciting. A long line of transports, some of 
them sea steamers of the largest capacity, the light, 
airy, and spacious North river " floating palace,'' ships, 
brigs, and schooners, lay moored on the bosom of the 
placid Potomac for a distance of at least three miles. 
In places these huge transports iay five and six abreast, 
making a grand and imposing appearance. Then a 
swarm of small, odd-shaped craft, from the unsightly 
canal boat to the clumsy barge and puffing tug, threaded 
their way through the fleet, each performing its pecu- 
liar service. Now great steamers move in line to 
the wliarves, soon fill up with their livinjr freidit, 
and return to their places in the stream, their decks 
swarming with merry soldiers, who dance and sing, 
and are as gay as if they were bound on a party oi 
pleasure. There are long lines of schooners and brigs 
in the stream, packed with horses and mules, the long 
ears of the latter giving a toucli of quaintness to the 
picture. The mules keep up an intense braying, espe- 
cially at night, and the liorses are restless. The soK 
diers say the mules are holding a caucus and object to 
this new way of marching to a new base. The shipping 
16^ 



354 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of these mules affords the soldiers a great deal of 
amusement. There was a scene of excitement on the 
wharf just now. A refractory mule lopped his ears, 
shook his head, and made decided objection to the plank 
method of putting liim on board. Then he broke away 
from his keepers, charged at a gallop up the wharf, up- 
set several persons, and performed numerous odd freaks, 
as a mule will when in the humor, and caused great 
cheering among the lookers on. A race now follows, 
and the mule seems to have the best of it, and treats 
the intentions of his pursuers with an amount of ca- 
price remarkable even for a mule. A mounted guard 
is at length called in to capture him, and he is brought 
back a more submissive if not wiser mule; and after 
being well kicked and cursed he is put into the slings 
and whipped on board in a manner that seems to as- 
tonish him. I never could exactly understand the 
relations existing between the soldier and this long- 
eared friend of his. The soldier always seemed to 
have a strong attachment for the animal, and, indeed, 
to regard him as a true friend, which he really was, but 
never seemed so happy as when he was either kicking 
him or heaping imprecations on his head. 

General Franklin had liis unpretending headquarters 
on board tlie little steamer Mystic, and her movements 
were watched with interest throughout the fleet, as 
they were supposed to indicate those of the General. 
During the time of our embarkation, Franklin made a 
visit to the army at Yorktown, to consult with General 
M'Clellan about our movements, and get some knowl- 
edge of the situation. On his return he gave us a 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. o56 

pretty clear idea of the situation of affairs before York 
town, and, also, of the part we should have to take in 
the plan that was being so slowly developed. The 
little comfortable cabin of the Mystic was the scene of 
several conferences between Franklin, Kearney, New- 
ton, and Slocum, concerning our future movements. 
And these conferences were conducted with so much 
courtesy and apparent good feeling, that any one wit- 
nessing them would have found it difficult to believe 
that even a difference of opinion could have existed 
between such gentlemen. But even here the rank weed 
of jealousy had taken root, and beneath that appa- 
rently calm surface there was a current of troubled 
waters which subsequently showed itself in open 
violence. 

The morning of the 18th of April was warm and 
Bummer-like. The fleet, consisting of nearly two hun- 
dred vessels, ranged along in a formidable line, ready 
to sail. The wind cam.e light and breezy up the river. 
Suddenly the whole fleet was hung with flags that 
floated and coquetted in the breeze, and gave a gay and 
picturesque appearance to the scene. Then signals 
were exchanged along the line, and the boatswain's 
whistle sounded on the gunboats. Tugs steamed and 
puffed through the fleet, the steamers got up steam, and 
the noise of windlasses as the ships hove short, echoed 
and re-echoed along the river, and gave a mystic touch to 
the grand pageant. Now a huge steamer starts her 
wheels, forges ahead a few rods, then drops back to her 
anchor. Soldiers swarm the decks of the larger trans- 
ports, and cheer after cheer goes up along the whole 



35(3 THE STOllY OF A TROOPER. 

line, until the very air resounds. The steamers that 
are to tow the sailing vessels are seen to lift their 
anchors, and drop quietly into line, and affix their tow 
ropes. At half past ten o^clock the fleet was ready, 
and the signal for sailing had been made. 

The scene that now followed was grand and impos- 
ing beyond precedent, for the novelty and variety of 
tlie craft composing tlie fleet gave to it features such as 
had never been seen in a fleet before. Two trim, taunt 
lookinjr ffunboats led the line, and moved off with a sort 
of defiant air. Then the big sea steamers, and the liuge 
river boats, with their lofty cabins, moved majestically 
into line, their decks covered with cheering troops. 
And these were followed by steamers towing long 
lines of ships, brigs, schooners, and barges, the whole 
forming a bright and dazzling picture as it swept 
majestically down the Potomac, with bands playing, 
banners flying, and the troops cheering. 

The day continued fine until sundown, and the fleet 
swept along at a rapid speed, when heavy, threatening 
clouds festooned tlie heavens in the south, portending a 
sudden storm. Then quick, vivid flashes of lightning, 
followed by the deep rumbling of distant thunder, indi- 
cated the rapidly approaching squall. The fleet had 
become stretched out over a distance of eight or nine 
miles, and being at a point where the river curved, 
presented the appearance of a semicircle. And as 
the lightning played tlirough the rigging of the fleet, 
lighting up and giving a clear outline to each hull, 
the efl'ect was grand beyond description. Indeed, 
there was something mysterious and spectre-like about 



THE STOr.Y OF A TIIOOPER. 357 

tlie scene, and tlie beholder might have fancied 
himself suddenly transported to a land of enchant- 
ment. Then each craft sent up her 'blue, red, and white 
signal lights, and the scene became more brilliant 
and dazzling. There was now considerable commotion 
along the line. The wind murmured violently through 
the rigging of the ships and saloons of the steamers, 
and soon the whole line assumed the appearance of a 
lighted city in a vaulting mood. Signals were made 
to slacken speed. But the thunder storm was upon 
us, and without waiting for the signal to come to 
an anchor, steamers began cutting away from their 
tows, and taking position before coming to anchor. 
The fleet had scarcely come to anchor, however, when 
the storm broke in all its fury, accompanied by hail and 
rain, but was of short duration. Here we rode at 
anchor for the rest of the night. 

We were underweigh early on the following morning, 
and reached our destination in Poquosin river during 
the afternoon of the 19th. The French fleet under 
Count Rochambeau had occupied the same position 
durins: the revolution, when it blockaded the York 
river and assisted Washington in effecting the surrender 
of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. The coast here pre- 
sented a long, low line of white sand, fringed with 
scrubby pines, the deep green foliage forming a pretty 
contrast. Little white houses nestled here and there 
beneath the foliage, and gave a picturesque air to tlie 
quiet picture. Tlie channel of Poquosin river was very 
narrow and crooked, but deep enough for several miles 
up for our largest vessels. A long, low sand spit curved 



358 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

from the south entrance to Poquosin river, extending 
nearly to the channel, and forming a breakwater foi 
the fleet inside, which anchored in the form of a semi- 
circle, and was well sheltered from the bay. An- 
other spit to the north of us, and on which there was 
a clump of scrub pines, separated us from the York 
river. This Poquosin river ran up to Cheesman's Land- 
ing, abotit five miles, where subsistence and munitions oi 
war were being landed in immense quantities, for Gen- 
eral McClellan had made it a base of supplies, its dis- 
t^.nce from our works in front of Yorktown being about 
six miles. The river was full of little creeks and in- 
dentations, some of them cutting through thickly tim- 
bered swamp three and four miles, with water deep 
enough for our largest river steamers to float in. 
The continual ingoing and outgoing of steamers and 
supply vessels gave to this usually quiet sheet of water 
the appearance of a busy commercial port, doing an ex- 
tensive trade. 

York river is famous for the quantity and fine 
quality of its oysters, and no sooner had the fleet 
come to anchor than numerous expeditions were fitted 
out to raid on the beds. Indeed, before tattoo it seemed 
as if the whole division, ofiicers and men, were ban- 
queting on the finest oysters, served in a variety of 
styles. Negroes sliowed us where the best beds were 
to be found, and we helped ourselves without inquiring 
whether their owners Avere in the Southern army, or 
still carrying on the oyster trade with New York. A 
large number of wooden canoes, or "dug-outs" were 
found secreted up the creeks, and these were brought 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. • 359 

fout and appropriated by our officers, who soon became 
experts in the use of tlicm, and made daily voyages in 
them in search of fish and oysters. In short, tlie little 
river swarmed with them in a few days, and so intent 
were our officers on indulging in these aquatic sports 
that an order was issued directing all the " dug-outs" 
to be turned over to the quartermaster. Tliis put an 
end to '' dug-out" sailing, and brought many a young 
hero who had invested his fifteen or twenty dollars for 
a ship of his own to sail in, to grief. We had also an 
abundance of fine fish, for the river and adjacent creeks 
were full of bass, rock and other species. 

Our officers became inquisitive as to what sort of 
people lived in those pretty little white houses that 
nestled so lovingly among the deep green foliage on 
shore. Numerous visits of discovery were made, and 
in a few days relations of the most friendly kind were 
cultivated. Distance had certainly lent enchantment 
here, for on a near view these houses were found to be 
of the plainest description, and their occupants simple- 
minded people, who knew little of the world beyond 
Poquosin river, and had got an honest living by fishing 
and oystering. Nearly all the men were away in the 
Southern army, and had left their little homes and 
farms in charge of a hardy, healthy looking race of 
women. Four fresh, buxom girls, the youngest sixteen, 
and the oldest just twenty-one, were the sole occupants 
of one of these houses, the father and two brothers 
liaving joined the Southern army, and left tlicm to do 
the fishing and protect themselves against " the insults 
of the rude Yankees." I noticed, however, that these 



860 THE STOIIY OF A TROOPER. 

improtected damsels liad a remnrlaibly coy way Tvilli 
them, and although each affected to have a lover in the 
South, they did a great deal of coquetting with our 
officers, and, indeed, came to regard their visits as little 
pleasant affairs they would 1 ike to have repeated as 
often as possible. There was something really good 
about these honest-hearted girls, who always spread 
before us such fare as they had, and with such a trua 
and sincere generosity as to touch the tenderest sym- 
pathies of the heart. Indeed, I may venture the asser- 
tion that if their " Southern lovers " could have seen 
to what an extent these damsels coquetted with our offi- 
cers, there would have been explanations demanded, 
and perhaps something more. We returned their kind- 
ness by giving them many little thirgs they stood in 
need of; and we left them with a prayer that God might 
guard and protect them. In another house there was 
a widow and her two daughters, one a girl of remark- 
able beauty, with a bright, peacliy complexion, dark, 
flashing eyes, raven black hair, an oval face in which 
every feature was beauty and delicacy, and a finely 
rounded form. We came to call her the belle of Po- 
quosin river, and not a few of our officers paid her 
visits out of compliment to her beauty, and, indeed, 
would have given her their hands and their hearts, and 
made her happy for the rest of her life. She received 
their attentions coldly but respectfully, told them she 
had a lover fighting us in the South, and in whose keep- 
ing her heart would remain until he returned. In 
short, I noticed that whenever she spoke of tin's lover 
tears welled into her beautiful eves and lier voice failed 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 3G1 

lier. She gave us his name when we left, and also 
showed us his portrait which she kept in a little locket 
nestling on her fair bosom ; and she begged us to be 
kind to him if we met him in battle, for she was sure 
he would be kind to us. 

Another and somewhat different sort of person was 
a woman who resided near the head of the creek, and 
whose farm extended half way across the broad plain. 
She was a woman of ponderous figure, weighed at least 
two hundred and forty pounds, and the most talkative 
person I met on the Peninsula. The soldiers called 
her Mrs. Heavysides, out of respect to her figure, I 
suppose. She had three rustic looking daughters, who 
were much given to flirting with our soldiers, which 
seemed to keep her in a state of perpetual trouble. 
Three or four decayed old negroes hobbled about the 
garden and yard, and received her scolding with the 
most perfect indifference. She took a dislike to the 
Yankees, she said, some years ago. A jolly brick-maker 
from Staten Island had come that way on an oyster boat 
and carried oif one of her daughters. She regarded 
that transaction as rather an ink spot on the family rec- 
ord. But she had not quite made up her mind whether 
to be a secessionist or remain true to the Union. She 
would rather wait a little while and see which whipped 
before giving her political opinions a decided color. 
She didn't like Jeff. Davis any more, she would say, 
nor Abe Lincoln, and thought if they were both put 
in a bag and well shook up, and then tossed into Po- 
quosin river, honest folks would have been a deal bet- 
ter off. The soldiers of General Sickles's brigade, 



362 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

which was encamped for a time near her house, kept 
her in a state of continual excitement, for they not only 
persisted in courting her daughters, but stole all her 
pigs and chickens. But the most amusing part of it 
was that she insisted in charging the theft of her pigs 
and chickens to the General himself. 

This talkative woman afforded me a great deal of 
entertainment. I would find her of a morning filling 
up her front door, her hands tucked under her apron, 
and ready to fire a volley at General Sickles and the 
Yankees in general. Her first salutation would gen- 
erally be : "Another shoat's gone. You fellers keeps 
on this ere way, you'll get every shoat and chicken I 
got. That Gineral Sickles I he is a pretty right smart 
Gineral to steal all a poor woman's pigs and chickens 
in this way. Have one cooked for dinner to-day — 
I reckon, and '11 ask his friends in to help eat 'em. 
Need'nt tell me he won't. Would'nt believe one on 
yeu." 

I made several attempts to defend the General's 
character against these serious charges, but without 
effect. She would insist that it was the General who 
stole her pigs, not his soldiers, who had no means of 
cooking them. Then her mind would run from the 
General and her poultry to Yorktown and General 
Magruder. 

" Wliare on airth did you Yankees all come from ?" 
she would inquire, sarcastically. Mighty smart heap 
on yeu — there is. What did yeu come down liere fur, 
raisin sich a hub-bub — disturbin the peace of we poor 
Poquosin folks. Want to get Yorktown, 'spose ? 



THE STOllY OF A TROOPER. 363 

Yorktown ain't no town after jeou git it. Makin a 
right smart fuss over Yorktown, firing them arr big 
guns every day and killin folks. Ain't a dozen good 
houses in Yorktown when yeou deou git it. Wish you'd 
a gone some other way to take Yorktown, if its York- 
town you want; and not bringed that are Gineral 
Sickles here a stealin all my shoats. There's this, 
hain't got a gineral among you Yankees what can 
drink more whiskey nor Gineral Magruder. Its a 
miglity little wliiskey you'll find in Yorktown when 
yeou deu take it." The old lady would talk in this 
strain until attracted by the appearance of some sol- 
diers who had come to court her daughters and needed 
a little watching. 



CHAPTER XXXY. 



UNCERTAINTY ABOUT LANDING— THE WEATHER, ETC., ETC. 

Our division left Alexandria with the expectation of 
landing on the Severn river, under cover of gunboats, 
moving on the enemy's vrorks at Gloucester Point, op- 
posite Yorktown, and having the first fight with the 
enemy. But we remained afloat day after day in 
Poquosin river, until both officers and men became im- 
patient at the delay, and it was evident tliere was a 
hitch somewhere. To-day a report would be circulated 
that gunboats to cover our landing could not be got, 
and then the navy would come in for an amount of 
crimination I dare not venture to describe here. To- 
morrow this report would be contradicted, and the de- 
lay charged to the engineer's department, which, it was 
said, had not provided the proper means of landing. 
A feeling of disappointment and impatience prevailed 
throughout the division. General Kearney was still 
with us, and had his headquarters on board the fine 
steamer Elm City, which lay a few rods from us. The. 
General's impatience at being kept afloat in this man- 
ner found expression every day in language more em- 
phatic than the rules of the service warranted. Gen- 
eral Franklin, who felt chagrined at the part we vrero 

3G4 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 365 

compelled to perform, made frequent visits to the front, 
but generally returned without anything favorable to 
communicate. It was indeed mortifying to him to 
have his fine division cooped up in this manner on ship- 
board, to be conscious that both men and animals were 
suffering terribly, and no immediate prospect of afford- 
in"- them relief. The rigors of ship-board soon be- 
came more trying than those common to camp life. 

On the 20th, Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Alexander 
joined our staff. He enjoyed the reputation of being 
one of tlic most skillful engineers in the regular army, a 
man of rare genius, of quick perception, great coolness, 
a keen sense of the ludicrous, and a genial disposition. 
He began his work by collecting a large number of 
barges, old canal boats, and scows, with which to form 
landing stages. His movements were watched with 
the deepest interest, as their progress was supposed 
to denote the time of our relief from this sea prison. 
I must say here that I found in Colonel Alexander an 
old acquaintance whom I had met while stationed in 
Savannah several years ago, and who, like myself, had 
enjoyed to their fullest many of those pleasant scenes 
so common to Southern society before the war. The 
recollection and recalling of those pleasant scenes, with 
the images of old and congenial friends, many of whom 
held prominent places in the Southern army, and were 
arrayed against us as enemies, afforded us entertain- 
ment for many an hour after the labors of the day were 
over. The Colonel was a prominent feature in the 
campaign on the Peninsula, for he was to be seen 
wherever active operations were going on, directing or 



366 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

taking a part in them. His eye was as quick in grasp- 
ing- the advantages of a position as in detecting the 
errors committed b}^ a general on the field. And to 
his clear judgment and correct knowledge of military 
science, many officers of higher rank were indebted for 
the means of escaping from the serious disasters that 
might have resulted from their own blunders. The 
Colonel was a man of Falstaffian figure, with a round, 
ruddy face, and a merry twinkling eye. He wore big 
canvas boots, and a broad brim hat ; and, as seen at 
night, with liis inseparable lantern, presented a picture 
worth preserving and not easily to be forgotten. Sol- 
diers are always quick to attach odd and unique names 
to officers prominent in any particular arm of the ser- 
vice. Some of ours called the Colonel " Old Pon- 
toons." Others knew him as '' Old Corduroy." In 
the staff he was known as Diogenes. He enjoyed 
these names as much as those who applied them ; in- 
deed, he was fond of applying quaint names to others, 
and no man enjoyed a good joke more. If he could 
have his at the expense of some incompetent brigadier, 
so much the better. We were together through most 
of the campaign, and the bright recollection of so 
agreeable a companion is something I shall carry 
with me through life. 

When, liowever, the Colonel got his landing stages 
ready, it was reported that the navy could not furnish 
the requisite number of gunboats to co-operate in our 
intended movement, and another delay was the result. 
Then every one became impatient to know why Gen- 
eral McClellan, whose siege guns had been going for- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 8G7 

ward for at least a fortnight, did not open the siege. 
One attributed it to this, another to that. The general 
impression was, that he wanted to make a grand dis- 
play of his engineering skill by completing his works 
and opening fire along the whole line. Officers whom 
he had counted among his best friends, became restive 
and impatient at the delay this policy was causing, and 
openly expressed their doubts of its wisdom. A few 
were malicious enough to say that General McClellan 
had again changed his mind as to the practicability of 
]ns base, and was contemplating a new plan, which 
would change the destination of our division. Again, 
it was whispered that there was a serious misunder- 
standing between General McClellan and the authori- 
ties at Washington, which had brought on an unpleas- 
ant controversy, and was likely to end in a change of 
commanders. To this it was added that sundry mis- 
chievous politicians in Washington liad so influenced 
the President and Secretary against General McClellan 
that they were doing everything in their power to 
destroy his plans and damage him in the eyes of the 
public. These reports had a very bad effect on the 
army, and more especially on its officers. They placed 
McClellan in the position of an injured man, with an 
army to fight in front of him and a worse enemy in his 
rear, and yet did him no real good. Respect for 
the authorities at Washington was already too low in 
the Army of the Potomac, and reports like these were 
not calculated to promote that good understanding 
between the executive powers and our army so neces- 
sarv to success. The General who seeks strength in 



3G8 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the sympathy of Iiis army, places himself in a more un- 
safe position than if he were to work patiently, 
avoid political entanglements, and do the best he can 
with the means at hand. It was the misfortune of Mc- 
Clellan not to separate his military duties from the 
political entanglements of the day. He believed, and 
sincerely, that the fate of the nation was in the hands 
of the Army of the Potomac, and that he was the polit- 
ical as well as military saviour of the republic. In- 
deed, all Iiis mental energies seemed directed to the 
preservation of this army, whicli he fancied repre- 
sented the political as well as military status of the 
country. He seemed to forget that what strength an 
army gathers on the field of battle may be thrown 
away in inactivity as well as want of boldness and de- 
cision in its commander. 

There was also a too prevalent disposition among a 
certain class of officers to treat with indifference the 
authorities at Washington, and even to cast ridicule 
on their want of military knowledge. Nor were the 
men slow to catch up this feeling and add their influ- 
ence to an instrument that was working serious injury 
to discipline. 



STORY OF A TROOPER. 



sooK x-\r. 



CHAPTER XXXYI. 



AFLOAT IN POQUOSIN YET. 

As a partial relief to the impatience of which I have 
before spoken, we were entertained every day with a des- 
ultory cannonading at the front. Then a rumor would 
pass from ship to ship that the siege had really opened 
at last. But after an exchange of ten or fifteen shots, 
the cannonading would cease, only to increase our dis- 
appointment. In short, this tiling became such a fa- 
miliar, every day affair that we could easily distinguish 
between the deep thugging sound of mortars and the 
sharp ring of Parrotts and the loud booming noise of 
the enemy's hundred-pounder, which afterwards burst 
on his works. 

We had been a week in Poquosin river, cooped up 
on ship board, and yet there was no prospect of land- 
ing. The poor animals began to suffer terribly for for- 
age and water. Closely packed on the schooners, ex- 
posed night and day to the capricious weather, with no 
opportunity to lay down, their legs became stiff and 
swollen, and many of them died from sheer exhaustion. 
It was evident that something must be done to relieve 
their sufferings, and that very soon. On the 26th, 

Captains Arnold and Upton landed their batteries and 

371 



ST2 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

horses. A portion of the cavalry was also landed, 
and it was a pleasing sight to see how the poor animals 
enjoyed their freedom on shore. Some cavorted and 
gamboled over the broad plain ; others rolled and 
sported in the sand. And in this way they manifested 
their satisfaction until the bugle called them to hay 
and oats. General Kearney ran his steamers up to the 
bank, and indulged his Jersey Brigade with permission 
to go on shore for exercise. 

The weather all this time had been very capricious. 
I find the following note of it in my memorandum : 

April 19, 5 P. il/.— The fleet came to anchor in Po- 
quosin river. Weather fine, sea smooth, wind light 
from the west. Anchorage good. A negro in a dug- 
out told us where to find good oysters. 

202^^.— Weather changed. Wind east-northeast, 
squally, rainy, and cold. Vessels straining at their 
anchors. A heavy sea on outside. Overcoats and 
fires in great demand. 

2lst. — The storm has increased. Wind strong from 
the east, and an ugly sea outside. A gunboat has near- 
ly dragged afoul of us. Outside vessels move up for 
better slielter and holding ground. Snow and hail in 
small quantities, and rain in large. Cold and very dis- 
agreeable on deck. No sign of landing. 

22d— Kainy and squally, but less cold. Wind 
changing to \\\q northward. Animals sulFcr terribly 
from exposure, and we are almost out of fresh water 
and forage. No sign of landing. A report was cir- 
culated yesterday that General Magruder had been 
shot by a Berdan sharp-shooter, which is not very 
likely. 



THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 373 

23c/. — Wind west, and pleasant weather to-day. 
Magiuder not so dead as lyoportcd yesterday. Loud 
cannonading at the front, our every day entertainment 
after oysters. The fleet in a very peaceable mood. 
Kearney, with impatience looking out of every feature, is 
impatient to get his troops ashore, and has gone up to 
see what the prospect is. 

24:tJu — Weather has had a change of m.ind during 
the night; cold and rain. Strong wind blowing from 
southeast, and a sharp sea in the bay. Stoves are 
pleasant companions; overcoats are in demand. Strange 
weather this for Virginia. Rain has made the roads 
leading to the front a quagmire. Fleet is in a weep- 
ing mood. Camp croakers are circulating all sorts of 
ridiculous rumors respecting General Baldy Smith's 
affair with the enemy on the 16th. Sensible men put 
no faith in them. These camp croakers the besetting 
sin of the army. They are themselves the most 
arrant cowards, catch at everything damaging to our 
generals, and serve the enemy by circulating stories 
that cast a shadow of gloom and despondency over the 
army. They are worse than members of Congress, 
and their influence on the spirit of an army is equally 
damaging. 

25th. — Weather still cold and raw. Heavy cannon- 
adimr at the front. I made an excursion to Fort 
Monroe on board the steamer Hero. Colonels Torbert 
and Simpson of the Jersey Brigade, Captains Sturgis 
and Wilson of General Kearney's staff, with Major 
Ryerson and' several other officers of the Jersey Brig- 
ade, formed a pleasant party; had the fine band of the 



374 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

3d New Jersey onboard; reached Hampton Roads; full 
of war ships, with steam up and ready for an encounter 
with the Merrimac, making a fine appearance. Our 
band struck up God save the Queen as we passed the 
English war ships; paid a similar compliment to the 
French ships by playing the national air of France. 
Ships acknowledged the compliment by dipping their 
flags; an attempt at cheering by the sailors on the 
French ships. The little mysterious looking Monitor 
lay moored in the stream, an object of great curiosity. 
The above will give the reader a pretty clear idea of 
what the weather was during the whole time we re- 
mained afloat in Poquosin river. 



CHAPTER XXXY II. 



GENERAL BALDY SMITH— FALL OF YORKTOWN— BATTLE OF WILLLA.MS- 

BURG. 

It was the 1st of May, and we were yet in Poquosin 
river, wondering at the cause that kept us here, and 
waiting in vain for the order that was to give us some- 
thing to do. The roads to the front were in the worst 
condition it is possible to imagine; and it seemed as 
if ail the engineering skill we could bestow upon them 
failed to work the slightest improvement. The work 
of getting up material for so great a siege, and supplies 
for so large an army, can only be properly estimated 
by those who witnessed it. Sometimes the roads would 
be blocked from one end to the other with strug- 
gling teams, which had worked so deep into the sand 
that it seemed impossible to extricate tliem. Fragments 
of broken wagons, and dead animals, were strewn all 
along the roadsides, in places marking the spot where 
a huge team had broken down, or perhaps sunk nearly 
out of sight in the soft mud. And it was a sad sight to 
see these trains struggling one way, and ambulances 
bearing the sick, the wounded, and the dead, struggling 
another. These sick amd wounded were brought to the 
steamer Commodore, which had been turned into a 

375 



376 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

hospital, and lay quietly moored in a little creek at the 
head of Poquosin river. 

There occurred on the 16th of April, at Lee's Mills, 
on the Warwick river, an affair in which impatience 
and perhaps the rashness of a good General cost us a 
number of valuable lives, and came very near proving 
much more serious in its results. I refer to the disaster 
in which the Yermont troops of General Baldy Smith's 
division were engaged, and for which that General was 
not only held responsible before the country, but his 
conduct misrepresented, and his character grossly as- 
sailed. Camp gossips were quick to seize upon this 
little reverse to our arms, to magnify every incident 
relating to it, and to misrepresent the facts. And 
what they could not say bad enough of the General 
who directed the movement, gossirs on the floor of 
Congress said for them. 

The facts were simply these. On the opposite bank 
of the Warwick river, and in a line with General 
Smith's position, the enemy had a battery, and this, as 
well as his sharpshooters, used to annoy our working 
parties every day, and, indeed, give us a great deal of 
trouble. The annoyance increased until General 
Smith's impulsive nature could stand it no longer. He 
became impatient to have a trial of strength with them, 
and to that end applied to General McClellan for per- 
mission to make a demonstration, and, if possible, drive 
the enemy from his position. It will be necessary to 
add here that the enemy's position was almost wholly 
concealed, by the old mills on one side, and a clump of 
scrubby wood on the other. Nor was it possible, for 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 377 

the same reason, to get any correct knowledge of the 
ground intervening between the opposite bank and the 
enemy's position. The river had to be reached by a 
narrow causeway, and then crossed over an old mill 
dam, with a deep and ugly ditch cut on the west bank, 
rendering the passage of a charging column extremely 
precarious, as well as exposing it to a concentrated 
fire. General McClellan had great confidence in Gen- 
eral Smith's judgment, for he knew him to be a first 
class engineer and a gallant officer, who sincerely 
believed that he could accomplish what he undertook. 
It is due to him, however, to say that he granted the 
request with reluctance. 

I must add, also, that several reconnoissances had 
been made here, and it was the opinion of General 
Smith that this was the weakest point in the enemy's 
line. A strong reconnoitering force now moved across 
under a sharp fire, but found considerable difficulty 
on reaching the dam and ditch, which they overcame 
gallantly and gained the opposite bank with cheers. 
Smitli liad his forces drawn up and held in readiness to 
support Ihis force, if needs be, by an attack in force. 
The troops now over became engaged with the enemy, 
who began to discover himself in stronger force than 
had been expected. Another and then another regi- 
ment of the Vermont brigade was pushed over, though 
with considerable difficulty, owing to the narrow and 
unsafe condition of the passage over the dam, and ad- 
vanced gallantly to the support of tlieir comrades, and 
fought with great steadiness against superior numbers 
and great disadvantages, for tlie groiiiid war. found to 



378 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

be soft and spongy and full of dangerous quicksands. 
The fire of the enemy's guns in the battery immediately 
covering the dam had been silenced, but others and 
more formidable ones, before unknown to us, opened 
on our attacking party, and with severe effect. For 
two hours or more our troops fought gallantly, advan- 
cing foot by foot over the broken, marshy ground, until 
it became evident they were being led into a dangerous 
trap. One part of the line, too, got entangled in a 
swamp, whence the men could with difficulty extricate 
themselves, and where they were exposed to a raking 
fire of the enemy's concealed batteries, whicli had just 
opened. The fact showed itself in all its force, that 
we had been deceived, as well in regard to the nature 
of the ground as the strength of the enemy's works 
and the force he had to support them. The struggle 
was a gallant and deadly one ; but it was like sending 
a child to fight a giant. Our brave men fell rapidly, 
and the line began to falter. General Smith saw the 
mistc^ko that had been made when it was too late. He 
struggled hard and did what he could to get over re- 
inforcements ; but his efforts were in vain. A move- 
ment of the enemy to cut off the force on the other 
side had thrown it into a panic, and it came rushing 
irresistibly back in disorder, blocking up the passage, 
causing portions of the dam to give wa.y, and suffering 
terribly from the enemy's concentrated fire. The en- 
emy pressed on hard, and advanced in such force that 
General Smith was ordered to entrench his position 
commanding the dam, so as to keep tlie enemy in check 
ami prevent him from crospin.u; and attacking us. Tlie 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 379 

disaster was mortifying indeed, and to none more so 
than General Smith. He had put his hand into the 
lion's mouth to see if he would bite, and paid dearly 
for his temerity. The enemy followed our disordered 
and retreating troops boldly to the bank, exulting over 
his victory. He also sprung a dam and flooded the 
stream, into which a number of our men were carried 
and drowned. Others were shot in the water while 
trying to escape. Our loss in killed, wounded, and 
missino- was about two hundred. Smith had watched 
every movement with intense interest, but finding that 
the enemy had suddenly discovered this overwhelming 
force, and that the tide of battle liad turned against 
us thus disastrously, mounted his horse and rode ofi 
to direct his covering movements. He had gone but a 
few rods when his horse plunged into a treacherous 
quicksand and threw him to the ground. 

Camp gossips at once seized upon this accident, and 
circulated the report that the General's fall was the 
result of intoxication. He must have been intoxicated 
they said, or he never would have fallen from his horse. 
Eeports like these, under such circumstances, only illus- 
trate the evil there is in human nature. They are 
the filthy driblets that fall from the foul tongues of 
the heartless. And yet, unworthy as these reports 
were of the slightest consideration among respectable 
men, they found ready believers in Congress, and a 
member to spread them abroad for profane and malig- 
nant ends. Among officers of the army, General Baldy 
Smith's character for sobriety needed no defenders. 
He was, perhaps, rash and impetuous ; and if these 



880 THE STQRY OF A TROOPER. 

were faults in an officer, they were the result in thi^ 
instance of over-earnestness to promote the cause of 
his country, and punisli her enemies. With a fine sense 
of honor, tlie service had no purer patriot, no more ac- 
complished gentleman^ than Baldy Smith. The country 
knows him better now than it did then; and the slander 
hurled with so much malignity at his reputation only 
served to brighten it when the truth became known. 

The result of this affair gave rise to an unpleasantj^ 
^celing between Generals McClellan and Smith, who 
h^d up to this time been on the most friendly terms» 
Al\1 it is safe to say that at least one officer prominent 
on General McClellan's staff urged that General Smith 
be censured for hi.s- rashness. Indeed, it would not be 
difficult to trace Smith's hostility to McClellan during 
the remainder of the campaign to what took place on 
this occasion. 

The garrison of Yorktown had been heavily rein- 
forced by troops under General J. E. Johnston, who 
succeeded Magruder in command.. He kept up the 
appearance every day of strengthening and extending 
his lines ; and, as May approached, annoyed us exceed- 
ingly, making demonstrations at various points of our 
line every evening, creating considerable exeiteme-nt^ 
drawing the fire of some of our batteries, and driviiu^ 
in our pickets. He continued these demonstration.^-, 
sometimes accompanying them with sharp and continu- 
ous cannonading, up to the night of the 3d of May. In- 
deed, their artillery iii'O was kept up until nearly n^id- 
iiight on (liatniglit, and had rarely been more vigorou.^. 
It was evident that the enemy contemplated some iui- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 381 

per tan t movement, but so well had he kept his own 
secrets that our scouts were all deceived in regard to 
his intentions. Some of our generals looked for an 
attack rather than an evacuation. We heard his 
bugles sound and his drums beat that niglit; our pickets 
heard his sentinels challenge; and lights we had been 
accustomed to see from tree tops at night burned as 
brightly as ever in the old town. 

The firing ceased about half past ten o^clock, and an 
ominous stillness prevailed up to midnight. About 
two o'clock on the morning of the 4th, news reached 
General McClellan that the enemy had evacuated York- 
town, his rear guard marching out about midnight. 
The excitement and confusion about headquarters that 
followed, may easily be imagined. Staff officers were 
despatched in various directions, and generals waked 
from their peaceful slumbers to receive orders; some 
to go in pursuit of the retreating enemy; others to 
proceed and occupy liis abandoned works. 

The news was kept from the army generally until 
morning, and it woke up to find that the enemy liad 
stolen away unmolested, and left us as a legacy for our 
labors his huge, frowning earthworks, his heavy artil- 
lery, and a large quantity of supplies and munitions of 
war. No cheers went up. The feeling among botli 
officers and men was that of disappointment rather 
thau joy. The enemy had bequeatlied us his strong 
position ; but we had not gained a victory over his army ; 
and no bulletin the commanding General could issue 
would change the color of the stubborn facts before us. 

We were already in possession of tlio old town, arri 



302 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

when the sun rose, the stars and stripes floated on the 
citadel, and our troopers paraded the streets. Col. 
McReynolds, with six companies of the Lincoln Cav- 
alry, had been furnished with a guide, and ordered to 
proceed and occupy the town immediately after the 
news of the evacuation reached us. The men were 
quick in the saddle and moving, but owing to the dark- 
ness of the night, the density of the woods, and the 
intricate character as well as bad condition of the 
roads, the column became confused, took a wrong road? 
and went several miles beyond Yorktown before find- 
ing out the mistake. Indeed, they came very near 
falling on some straggling forces of the enemy. On 
finding out the mistake, however, they wheeled about, 
and after gaining the right road, proceeded at a brisk 
trot, entering Yorktown just in the gray of morning. 
Several of the roads in the immediate vicinity of York- 
town were found planted with little villainous torpe- 
does, a number of which exploded, killed and injured 
several of our horses, and excited alarm among the 
men. We accepted this contemptible mode of warfare 
as a proof of the spirit in which the enemy left liis 
works. We also found a number of these torpedoes 
planted in such parts of his works as he thought our 
men would be likely to gather about. 

The last of the enemy's troops had evidently left in 
great haste, for their officers' quarters remained just as 
they had occupied them, with an ample stock of good 
provisions in their larders, and clotbing and extra 
equipments hanging on the walls. Indeed, we liad 
iiC'!!iing to Co bat step in and prepare the feast Uayt 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 383 

had been left by our enemies. Even the fires werelcfb 
burning, and the cooking utensils ready for use. And 
for thi^ kind consideration, this warming and making 
the house comfortable for us to occup}^ many thanks 
were returned. There was a large quantity of the 
very finest bacon, of which our officers laid in an ample 
stock. In short, we had "Yorkcown bacon" during 
our dead watches in the swamps of the Chickahominy. 

The stout old lady at the head of Poquosin river 
was right about Yorktown. It was not much of a 
town after all. A few scattering houses, some of them 
perforated with our shells, and none of any importance, 
except the historical interest that attached to tliem, 
constituted all there was left of the decayed old town. 
Indeed, it looked like a place that had been tumbled 
about a good deal in the turmoil of war, and had 
squatted down behind huge hills of red clay to seek a 
hiding place from the rest of the world. But these 
huge clay hills, on a closer acquaintance, you would 
find to be defences, unexcelled for completeness of con- 
struction and strength. Tliey contained long and finely 
arched galleries, connecting with spacious bombproofs, 
solidly constructed platforms and traverses, magazines 
of the most improved style — all showing that the enemy 
was at least not deficient of the best engineering 
skill. 

The few white persons we found in the town were 
composed chiefly of old men and women, who assumed 
a sullen air, and were not inclined to enter into friend- 
ly relations with what tliey were pleased to term the 
invaders of their homes. There was little or no 



?>84 TITE STOEY OF A TROOPER. 

Union sentimeiit in the place. Tliey nursed the idea 
that we liad come to carry off their negroes, and more 
than one of their women reproached us for enticing 
tlieir servants to run away and making white people 
slaves to their own household. There was evidently 
a great struggle going on between their pride and the 
poverty they were reduced to by the circumstances of 
war. Nor was this struggle softened by the negroes, 
who, taking advantage of our appearance, and believ- 
ing that their liberation was the object we had come 
for, at once threw off all obligations to their owners, and 
began packing up their traps for a new and indepen- 
dent voyage down the stream of life. The most spite- 
ful and nimble-tongued secessionist we found in 
York town was the little black-eyed daugliter of a hum- 
ble cordwainer, who had cobbled the soles of the aris- 
tocracy for at least a quarter of a. century. And after 
all, it was said of him that he was a poor wretch, and 
didn't own a single negro. His dapper little daughter, 
however, assumed all the airs of an F. F. V., and, in- 
deed, acted in such a manner as to lead us to believe 
that the pride of the Old Dominion had been entrusted 
to her keeping. I never heard so glib a tongue, and 
she would keep it continually tripping in contempt for 
" the Yankees." Some of our soldiers, under th© pre- 
tence of getting their boots mended, would drop in at 
the humble cordwainer's cottage, and good-naturedly 
make love to tliis damsel, which would sorely increase 
her misery. More than one of them proposed a matri- 
monial alliance, but this only increased her indignation, 
and made more emphatic her expressions of loyalty to 



i 



THE 6T0RT OF A TROOPER. 385 

old Virginia, and undying liate to the Yankees^ wlio 
once cheated her father by selling him bad leather. In 
truth, I am afraid it was the leather that did the thing 
for her loyalty. I may add, however, that before leav- 
ing Yorktown I detected her carrying on quite a llir- 
tation with a dashing young cavalry officer ; and that, 
too, over a nice cup of tea she had prepared with her 
own hands. 

Orders were also sent earlv on the morninsr of the 
4th to General Stoneman, chief of cavalry, to move im- 
mediately with his command over the Yorktown and 
Williamsburg road, press vigorously forward, and, it 
possible, cut off that portion of the enemy's rear wliich 
was retreating on the road passing Lee's Mills. The 
command consisted of four batteries of artillery, (the 
finest in the service,) the First and Sixth U. S. Cavalry, 
(regulars,) the Third Pennsylvania and Eighth Illinois, 
and Barker's squadron, (General McClellan's body 
guard,) all picked troops. General Stoneman's move- 
ments, although making no inconsiderable display on 
paper, never were pressed- very vigorously, and, to say 
the least, tlicrc was always something uncertain about 
their results. In this instance there was some delay 
in starting, then more than two hours were spent in re- 
pairing a bridge before his command could pass safely 
over the Warwick, and in passing the enemy's works to 
gain the Y'orktown road several torpedoes exploded, ' 
killing two (some said three) of his men and disabling 
several horses. 

Tlic explosion of tliese torpedoes, and the alarm re- 
tulliiig from it, rendered it Jiecessary to proceed with 



386 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

extreme caution for several miles. The country here 
was very level, the roads narrow and' intricate, and 
frequently cutting through wood, the dense foliage of 
which hampered the actions of our officers. And when 
ever we approached these woods, we had to feci our way 
cautiously, to halt and reconnoitre, for tliey were capi- 
tal places for the enemy to conceal himself and take 
our cavalry by surprise. And wherever the roads cut 
through these woody belts, we were sure to find them 
wet and in an almost impassable condition. In some 
places, although the weather had been fine for three 
days, it was almost impossible to get artillery through. 
All these difficulties had to be overcome ; and the 
reader can easily see how much they must have retard- 
ed the movements of the column under Stonemau. But 
there was even a greater hindrance than these. None 
of our officers seemed to know anything of the country 
before them, the local maps were of no use, the people 
we met were dumb when we v/anted information, the 
negroes knew everything but could communicate noth- 
ing correctly, and our guides were either stupidly in- 
competent or afraid to perform their proper duties. 
And, too, the country was full of little bye and cross- 
roads, their course from the main road varying but 
slightly, and any one of which miglit be mistaken for 
it by the stranger. These only served to make the 
confusion more perplexing. A few of the enemy's 
stragglers were picked up along tlic road, and it was 
noon before the column reached a point only eight 
miles from Yorktown, on the road to Williamsburg. 
To say the least, this was not very ropid nuvrching for 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 387 

what was called a flying column. Here, in accordance 
with instructions from General McClellan, who seems 
also to have lacked correct knowledge of the roads and 
surface character of the country, Stoneman despatclied 
Emory with a battery of artillery and the Third 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Averill, by a cross-road 
towards the Lee's Mill road, upon which Baldy Smith 
had moved his division, and with the object of acting 
in concert with tliat General in attacking or cutting 
off any portion of the enemy's rear guard that might be 
retreating that way. This movement was at least of 
doubtful utility, as a reference to the map will show. 
We had no short line to operate on, and the hope of 
cutting off any portion of the enemy's column by these 
movements was slight indeed. Beside this, the enemy's 
infantry was well out of the way, and cutting off cav- 
alry that is worthy of the name is not an easy matter. 
Smith, for reasons which will appear hereafter, had 
transferred his command to another road, and Emory 
was not a little confused at not finding him. He how- 
ever came upon some cavalry and a battery under Gen- 
eral Jeb Stuart, who was falling back, and manifested a 
disposition not to have his movements hastened. In- 
deed, Stuart assumed a bold and defiant attitude, and 
some skirmishing followed, the enemy slowly falling 
back, but keeping his line intact. It was reported 
that we drove him some distance back in the direction of 
Lee's Mill, but the position does not warrant the con- 
clusion, and I am inclined to think there was no truth 
in it. It is more probable that Stuart, whose knowl- 
edge of the roads was perfect, fell back a short dis- 



388 THE STORY OF A TROOPER 

tance in that direction, but only to secure a better road 
of retreat along the James river side of the Peninsula. 

Shortly after Stoneman left, Smith and Hooker, with 
their divisions, were ordered to follow, within support- 
ing distance — the latter along the Yorktown road, the 
former along the road from Lee's Mill. Both these 
divisions moved promptly enough; but Hooker and 
Smith were men not likely to agree very well, and fol- 
lowed out the bent of their own inclinations rather 
than obeyed orders. Indeed, each seemed to regard 
himself as having an independent command, privileged 
to take what road he pleased, fight the enemy how and 
where he pleased, and be responsible for the result to 
no one. Smith had not gone far when he met a strag- 
gling force of the enemy, the strength of which was 
much magnified at the time, and engaged it, but with 
no valuable result. The enemy met us resolutely, and 
after exchanging shots, fell back regularly and in 
good order. One of the French princes on General 
McClellan's staff captured and brought in a number of 
the enemy's stragglers. 

The road Smith had taken was full of dangerous and 
soft places, as well as other obstructions, through which 
it was almost impossible to get his cannon, and in 
his impatience to reach Stoneman, transferred his column 
by a cross road over to the right, or Yorktown and 
Williamsburg road. The result of this was to increj;se 
the obstructions on that road, to disarrange the general 
movement, and to cause a block that came well nigh 
proving serious in its results. The first bad effect of 
tills movement was seen about four o'clock in the after- 



THE STORY OF A TllOOPER. 389 

noon, when the head of Hooker's division reached {\ 
point in the road called the Half-way House, and found 
Smith's troops filing into the road in his front. This 
gave rise to the belief that the plan of movement had 
been changed, and caused considerable irritation on 
the part of Hooker, who was anxious to be first in 
reaching Stoneman. But here he had to halt for nearly 
three hours, which confused and delayed the troops in 
his rear, for the divisions of Kearney, Casey, and 
Couch had moved later in the morning, and were com- 
ing up — Kearney on the. Yorktown road, and Casey 
and Couch on the Lee's Mill road. 

I ought to state here that Kearney had been pro- 
moted and assigned to the command of a division in 
Heintzelman's corps, leaving his Jersey Brigade of 
Franklin's division with feelings of regret and no little 
reluctance. 

The block caused by Smith thus unexpectedly occupy- 
ing the Yorktown road, and Hooker's halt of three 
hours, was felt all along the line. One part of a column, 
in its impatience to get ahead, would attempt to pass 
another and get stuck in the mud. Everybody seemed 
to be giving orders in a state of excitement, and no- 
body obeying them. General officers gave orders of 
one kind, and field officers gave orders of another. 
Eank and authority seemed to have lost their force. If 
a corps commander gave an order that did not exactly 
agree with a division commander's notions of what 
ought to be done, lie would either disregard it al- 
together, or execute it in such a manner as to destroy 
its force. 



890 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Now a battery of artillery would demand the road, 
make a desperate struggle to get past a regiment of 
infantry, and after a few ineffectual plunges, in which 
the poor animals would do their very best, sink to the 
axles in the soft sand, amidst the imprecations of the 
gunners. Ammunition trains would meet the same 
fate. And the block and confusion would be appar- 
ently complete, until some young and newly feathered 
staff of&cer, with more zeal than brains, came along in 
charge of some headquarters wagons, whicli he would 
insist in getting past everything else on the road — his 
fear lest the General be kept hungry when supper time 
came, rising superior to every other thought. Nor 
was the confusion and excitement abated by tlie sound 
of Stoneman's guns, which had been ringing painfully 
in our ears the fact that he had engaged the enem}^ 

When the last of Smith's column had filed past, 
Hooker followed for nearly two miles, then turned off 
into a cross road on the left, and marched for tlie Lee's 
Mill road, which Smith had left. They thus changed 
places, so that if an order had been sent from head- 
quarters to General Smith on the left, he would have 
been found several miles away on the right. The same 
would have been the case, in reverse, with Hooker. 
This change entailed others, absorbing time, and fatigii- 
ing the men. 

Let us now proceed forward and see what Stoncmau 
is doing. The country for ten miles after leaving York- 
town is flat, sandy, and with but few openings. The 
roads for a great part of the way cut through a dense 
iiDdcrwood, and nrc friupred with a Uixuriaut folinge, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 391 

which was now in full bloom, and impregnating the air 
with sweet scents. The two roads over which our 
columns marched from the Warwick river, one leading 
from Yorktown, and the other past Lee's Mill, form a 
triangle, and connect about five miles east of Williams- 
burg, where the Peninsula presents the appearance of 
a narrow neck, made so by College creek running up 
from tlie James river on one side, and Queen's creek 
from tlie York on the other. Little tributary streams 
break the marshy land on either side of this neck, their 
banks being dotted with clumps of jungle, rank sedge 
grass, and scrub cedars, all forming a picturesque 
enougli appearance, but rendering tlie ground very un- 
favorable for the manoeuvring of troops. 

A mile or two before reaching that point where the 
roads connect on tliis neck, the country became more 
open and the view less obstructed. The spires and bel- 
fries of Williamsburg were seen in the west, just beyond 
a belt of rising ground. Looking in that direction, you 
saw well cultivated fields, deep, dark hedges, and the 
ground green with clover and rye. As the eye glanced 
over the soft and beautiful landscape, it rested at every 
turn to admire some spacious and well built mansion, 
with its white out-houses, its sloping lawns, its dark 
hedge rows, and its long lines of elms and oaks bending 
so gracefully over the broad avenue leading to its en- 
trance. We had reached a portion of Virginia in 
which there was at least wealth and refinement, and a 
class of society differing essentially from what we had 
found in the vicinity of Yorktown. 

Across this neck of land, and within easy range of 



392 THE STORY OF A TROOPER^ 

the ground where Stoneman must debouch after reach- 
ing the junction of the roads, the enemy had erected 
strong works for the defence of Williamsburg. In the 
centre stood Fort Magruder, with its frowning bas- 
tion, and its deep ditch filled with water, and several 
strong redoubts on each side and epaulments for field 
guns. The timber immediately in front of this posi- 
tion, which was naturally a very strong one, had been 
felled, so that the enemy's guns had a clear sweep over 
it, while nearly all of the dykes and bridges over the 
little streams had been destroyed. A strong network 
of rifle pits and abatis stretched along the front of 
these works, offering a formidable barrier to our move- 
ments. Here the enemy was strongly posted, with artil- 
lery, cavalry, and infantry, and as Stoneman's advance 
debouched into the open plain, received it with a galling 
fire, which did considerable execution. The thunder of 
cannon and the sharp crashing sound of infantry followed 
in quick succession and became deafening. The enemy 
was in stronger force than Stoneman had expected to 
find him. Not a minute was to be lost. He knew 
the courage of his troops, and must make a bold move- 
ment or retire to shelter, for Smith had not come u{) 
with his infantry. Quickly wheeling what artillery he 
had up into position, he replied with great spirit to the 
enemy's fire, and the cannonading became fierce and 
rapid. At the same time the Sixth Eegular Cavalry, 
under command of Major Lawrence Williams, was sent 
round by the right to feel and make a demonstration 
against the enemy's left. The ground was soft and 
spongy, and the road it had to proceed over almost im- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 3 93 

passable. Encouraged by the indomitable spirit of 
their commander, a young officer full of dash and cour- 
age, the men struggled over every difficulty, gained the 
outer redoubt, which they found unoccupied, and had 
nearly reached the rear of the second, when a force of 
cavalry and infantry, double the strength of their own, 
came down upon them. The Major drew his men up 
in line of battle, and placing himself at their head, 
made one of those desperate charges in which the iron 
hearts of the few are tested against the steel of a supe- 
rior force. The Sixth did its duty that day. The im- 
petuosity and boldness of the charge caused the enemy 
some confusion, but it was for a minute, for although 
the men crossed sabres, and steel clashed against steel, 
and the fierce conflict raged until the stoutest heroes 
lay dead on the ground, still grasping the bloody 
sabre they had so manfully disputed for life, they 
were forced to give way before the fast accumulat- 
ing force of the enemy. But there was no sign of a 
rout, no disorder. Valuable information respecting the 
position had been gained, and Major Williams seeing 
that it would be madness to expose his men any longer, 
gradur'lly withdrew them. Once during the retreat 
the enemy charged on the rear squadron, commanded 
by Captain Sanders, a remarkably cool and gallant 
officer, who suddenly wheeled his troopers and repelled 
the charge in handsome style, emptying a number of 
the enemy's saddles. This ended the cavalry move- 
ment on the right, for that day, and Major Williams 
returned to report a loss of some thirty of his men and 
a greater number of horses. 
18 



394 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Additional artillery had come up, and the fight in 
front liad been carried on with great spirit and tenaci- 
ty for nearly two hours, the enemy having a perfect 
range of our position and inflicting serious damage. 
Artillery horses were killed on all sides of us, and our 
men suffered from the unerring aim of sharpshooters, 
covered in the rifle pits on our front. The struggle 
brought out the true courage of our men, but against 
sucli a force, entrenched as it was, and with the means 
of concentrating at least thirty guns against the 
eight or ten we had brought into action, it was 
useless to longer contend. Our forces were now 
withdrawn out of rangje to await reinforcements. In 
making this movement, one piece of artillery got into 
a quicksand and could not be extricated. Most of the 
horses had been killed by the enemy's shells, but extra 
teams were attached, and the men worked as if they 
had slaked their reputation and their lives on the sav- 
ing of " that gun," but all in vain. The enemy con- 
centrated liis fire on it, almost covering it witli the 
dirt thrown up by his shells. When our men witlidrcw 
he fancied he had only to advance and secure tlie 
trophy. But it was not yet witliin liis reacli. As 'his 
forces advanced to secure the prize, the 1st Regular 
Cavalry, under command of Lieut. Colonel Grier, made 
a gallant charge, driving them back in confusion, killing 
and wounding about twenty, and capturing a number 
of officers and men and a stand of colors. 

The struggle now ceased for a time, and the troops 
rested on the field. They soon became impatient, 
however, for another trial of strength. They wanted 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 395 

to recover '* that gun/' and declared (heir determina- 
tion to make anollicr effort. Later in tlie afternoon 
the General ^^-ratified their desire, and a brisk fight was 
tiie result. l>ut the enemy again discovering himself 
in heavy force and concentrating liis fire on the disputed 
gun, our troops fell back cheering. 

While this was going on General Sumner appeared 
on the ground and took command. Generals Ilcint- 
zelman and Ke^'cs also appeared on the ground, but, if 
report be true, only to disagree as to what was best 
to ])C done. 

Tt was a few minutes after five o'clock when tlie 
head of GTeneral Smith's division debouclied into the 
open plain, and, after deploying to the riglit, began to 
take position on ground much broken by small streams 
and encumbered with dense woods, rendering it ex- 
ceedingly difficult to make a movement and preserve 
any regularity of line. Nor was it possible to see 
what was going on in front of his i)Osition. In short, 
he had to advance against the eaemy like a man feeling 
his way in the dark, and apprehensive every moment of 
coming against something he did not want to find. 

The reader will pardon me for pausing in the narra- 
tive of battle to say a few words on a subject of 
];erhaps not less importance A report came to us on 
the afternoon of the 4th that there had been consider- 
able "jarring between generals" at the front. There 
was indeed too much truth in that report. All that 
took place during the !th and 5th of ]\Iay cannot be 
written here, nor would the pul)iic be benefitted now 
if it were. Allhousjh there were manv things done 



SOG THE STORY OF A TROOPETC. 



Avliicli affected the public service seriously tliey be- 
longed liiorc particularly to tlie personal affairs of 
the anny. It is enougli to say that this '"jarring 
])et\veen generals,"' as it was called, did niucli to 
damage our cause during our wlido campaign on the 
Peninsula. Much of it was the natural offspring of 
an injudicious selection and assignment of general 
officers by the authorities at Washington, who, it was 
clear, knew little or nothing of their mental peculiari- 
ties, and had put tiie right men in the wrong places. 
Ilci'e were men esteemed in the old army for superior 
intellect and high soldierly qualities, subordinate to 
those wlio had been regarded as their infv^riofs. It is 
easy to see what a source of dissatisfaction this must 
have been, and to what damaging influences it must 
havo given life. 

Filz Joliii Porter was not likely to entertain a very 
high opinion of the military ability of cither Sumner 
or Ileinlzclinan, ncjr to give them vigorous support 
unless their orders squared with his own notions of 
Vvliat was right, 'j'iie fccliiig between Keyes and Ileint- 
zclnKiJi was aiiythim>- but amiable, to say the least ; 
indeed, on (lie held of Fair Oaks it took a more danger- 
ous turn. Nor were tlie Generals I liave named here 
likely to get along very well witli Samner, or yield 
})rompt obedience to In's orders. 

Sumner was l)ravc. p;itriotic, and earnest, but lie was 
not nuick to crrasn iho iidvnntaires and disadvantaijes 
of a field ; nor was lie always governed bv correct 
ju.lgmciit. But (ho soldiers honored him for liis many 
\irtucs an;l foi-gol his few faults; and the countiy will 
vL> ilio tame. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 397 

T have before named tlic time when Sumner appeared 
at tlie front and assumed command. Although the 
cavalry fight ought to have developed the ground and 
given us a clear understanding of tlie enemy's position, 
no one seemed to know much about it, or where and 
liow to form a strong line. Our officers seemed merely 
lo have been figliting, not thinking. Sumner examined 
(he ground hastily, but did not, it seems, comprehend 
its difficulties, nor tlic strength and extent of the 
enemy's works. 

It was nearly six o'clock, and Smith's troops, then 
in tlie position I have before described, were hungry 
and fatigued by their crooked march over the heavy 
roads. In short, they needed rest and refreshment, 
and were in no condition to iiglit. And yet Sumner's 
first thought was to press this division forward and 
attack the enemy's left, where he had strong advantages 
of ground, and had evidently concentrated his forces 
where he drove our cavalry back. The movement, how- 
ever, was attempted ; but, owing to the dense woods 
and the broken character of the ground, the column 
soon got into confusion, one part of it getting separated 
from and in advance of another. The result was any- 
thing but satisfactory; and after some desultory firing 
the broken and confused line fell back and bivouacked 
for the night. 

And such a night it was ! A drenching rain began 
to fall just after dark, and continued during the night, 
overflowing the already soft ground, turning the roads 
into brooks, and causing great suffering among men 
and animals. There was no sleep on the field that 



3^8 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

niglit, and the men alternately hoped and prayed for 
the dawn of morning. The gloom that hung over the 
scene was relieved only by the indomitable courage of 
the troops. And when morning came they welcomed 
it with expressions of readiness to move forward and 
engage the enemy. 

Early on the wet and misty morning of the 5th, 
Hooker appeared with his division debouching on the 
left, nearly in front of Fort Magruder. He had made 
an heroic struggle to get up, had marched a part of the 
night, and, by his example of earnestness, had encour- 
aged his men to put forth all their strength. Quickly 
forming his line of battle, and without waiting for any 
detailed information as to what was in his front, en- 
gaged the enemy in his own way. I say in his own 
way, for he seems to have "gone in" without orders, 
and to have fancied it a fi<2rht between himself and the 
rebel general — that the troops were mere accessories, 
necessary to help out. 

It was evident, too, that the brave and gallant 
Hooker preferred not to receive orders from any one, 
had no great faith in supports, and, in short, desired 
to be left to square the account with his antagonist 
across the brook according to liis own notions of what 
was a good fight. He had formed his line with a nar- 
row and crooked front, and his artillery was badly 
posted, and for some time was of little use to him. Tn 
truth, he had put his faith in small-arms and iron 
hearts ; and these ho hurled in vain against breast- 
works and cannon. At one time he had nearly silenced 
the guns of Fort Magruder, but the enemy brought up 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 399 

frcsli troops rapidly, and tlirowing tliem with great 
recklessness of life into the gaps, would repel the fierce 
charges made by our columns. Charge and countei-- 
charge was made with the most desperate valor, and 
for nearly four hours this unequal contest, this struggle 
for life and honor, all that was dear to men, was kept 
up. 

But it was valor thrown away. The enemy had got 
the exact range of our line, and swept it as with a 
tongue of fire. Our men had nearly exhausted their 
ammunition, and with it their strength ; and their ter- 
ribly thinned ranks told but too plainly that we were 
fighting without a plan and needlessly exposing our 
men. The enemy, too, was taking advantage of our 
errors, not least of which was that of keeping our forces 
on the right inactive, and allowing him to concentrate 
his on and crush Hooker. Full fifteen hundred of these 
brave troops lay killed and wounded on the narrow 
field, and yet there were no reinforcements. Every- 
thing looked gloomy. The tide of battle had turned 
against us. And Hooker's efforts to encourage his 
weak and shattered column began to loose their force. 
The men had fouglit, and fell, hoping for reinforce- 
ments, and still none came. And between the disagree- 
ment of Generals and the increasing disorder eveiy- 
where apparent, the gloom increased. And wliiie this 
clash of arms was trying the stoutest liearts, l!)C divis- 
ions of Casey and Couch were blocking up tiic roads 
in tlie rear, inactive, and the gallant Kearney was 
making the most desperate struggle to get past them, 
and to the aid of Hooker. He had been in command 



400 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of his division only a few days, but liis efforts fairly 
electrified his men, and wherever he appeared they re- 
ceived him with every conceivable manifestation of joy, 
redoubling their efforts to press forward and join in 
the fight. 

At eleven o'clock the drenched field presented one of 
those ghastly pictures it is as difficult to forget as de- 
scribe. The fight had been a good one, but we had been 
outnumbered and beaten. In addition to the killed and 
wounded, everywhere disfiguring the field, we had lost 
one battery, and the horses of another had all been killed, 
and it was likely also to fall into the enemy's hands. 
"What we needed now was generalship. We needed 
also prompt action and harmony on the part of subor- 
dinates, and generals who could think only of their 
country and forget themselves. General Peck, with 
his brigade, came up in time to save this second battery, 
and the sight of his troops as they deployed on the 
right of Hooker's shattered column encouraged his 
men, and gave fresh impulse to the fight, which again 
raged furiously. 

It was now thought advisable to make a diversion 
on the enemy's left, and Smith was ordered by Sumner 
to send a brigade for that purpose. Hancock was se- 
lected to make the movement, and with his brigade 
moved off in gallant style. This brigade liad already 
secured a high reputation for drill and discipline, and 
it was during this movement that its brave commander 
first displayed those sterling qualities as a man and 
soldier which have since distinguished him among our 
generals. Moving across a narrow dam, and then 



HIE STORY OF A TROOPER. 401 

over intricate and dangerous ground, lie soon gained 
the enemy's first redoubt, whicli lie found unoccupied. 
A second was also unoccupied. Here liis quick eye at 
once cauglit the advantages of the position in front of 
Iiim. He saw tliat it gave him the enemy's fl nk, and 
the power of threatening his communications. The 
enemy also saw the danger that was likely to follow 
from this movement, and began to increase tlie strength 
of his force before him. The infantry at once became 
engaged, with severe fighting. Hancock saw that if 
he could get reinforcements and hold his position the 
day was ours. But he seemed to fail in his efforts to 
make General Sumner understand the great importance 
of the movement he was making. His repeated re- 
quests for supports remained unanswered. The little 
brigade stood its ground manfully, encouraged by its 
commander, who was in tlie very thickest of the fiirht. 
But it was an unequal fight, for the enemy had brought 
up twice his number, and fought with unyielding tena- 
city. Hancock's position, too, was a dangerous one, 
for both his rear and right flank were exposed, and the 
enemy had already made two attempts to cut him off. 
Hancock's feelings at finding himself unsupported, and 
with the prospect of being compelled to give up so 
important a position, may easily be imagined ; but he 
remained cool and determined, resolved not to yield it 
while there was a hope. Twice, it is said. General 
Smith was ordered to support him with the rest of his 
division, but, for reasons I have never yet heard ex- 
plained, did not. Indeed, the rest of the division 

remained inactive until night. It would be uniust to 

18^ ^ 



402 THE STOHY OF A TROOPER. 

General Smith's well known courage and anxiety to 
join in a figlit, to believe that he was in any way re- 
P{)onsible for this inactivity. 

After this heroic contest between Hancock and the 
enemy had been waged for some hours, and at a moment 
when he had been led to believe that reinforcements 
would be up, he received an order to fall back. To 
have fallen back before such a force would not only 
have had the very worst effect on his troops, but con- 
sidering the very broken and intricate ground he would 
have liad to retreat over, could not have been done 
without serious loss of life. He carried that order in 
his head for some time, and showed by his manner that 
lie was unwilling to throw away what he had gained by 
such a hard struggle, and which, if held, would give 
us the field. After a time, however, he affected a slow 
retreat, which encouraged the enemy to press forward 
with great boldness. This was what Hancock wanted, 
and when the enemy's forces had come close enough, he 
turned, and having delivered some rapid and well-aimed 
volleys of musketry, charged upon them with the bayo- 
net. The impetuosity of that charge has not been ex- 
ceeded during the war. The enemy broke before it in 
confusion, losing about 570 in killed, wounded, and 
captured, while we lost only some 30 or 40 men. Han- 
cock held his position, and the victory on this part of 
the line was complete. 

We must now pass to another part of the line. 
Hooker's troops, driven back and exhausted, had in- 
creased the enemy's boldness in his front, when Kear- 
ney came up. He had made superhuman efforts to pass 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 403 

the obstructions on the roads, and his appearance on 
the field was received with shouts of joy. "Kearney 
has come ! Kearney has come ! ! " ran along the con- 
fused line, and had a strange and inspiring effect on 
the men. That slender, one-armed man, with the "eye 
of fire,'^ riding with so much recklessness up and down 
the line, was like a meteor amonc: his men, excitinir 
tlicir courage everywhere to the very highest. Reliev- 
iDg Booker, he threw his division promptly into the 
fight, and for two hours the battle raged with great 
fury. There was no faltering in the ranks where Kear- 
ney was. The enemy had the advantage of ground, 
and met him at every stop with fresh troops, making 
attack after attack on his right flank, wliicli he repelled 
in the most gallant style. Two of his aids, Barnard 
and Wilson, were killed. The latter was a fine young 
officer, who had fought with Garibaldi in Italy. 

It was five o'clock, and still the battle raged with 
desperate fury. The enemy had evidently sent back a 
heavy force, which some of our generals had mistaken 
for liis rearguard. His most stubborn resistance, how- 
ever, was again made in front of Kearney, the good 
fighting of whose troops began to have its effect on 
the enemy's line, which now wavered and fell back, and 
then came sweeping forward, as if ins] fired with new 
strength, causing our line in turn to fill back. Never 
did forces seem more evenly balanced in strength and 
valor. Our men were steady, resolute, and determined. 
The enemy, dashing, defiant, and reckless of life. Both 
fought with desperate valor ; and tlie wish was. con- 
tinually uppermost in our thoughts that it had been in 



404 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

a clifTcrent cause. But the enemy's fire began to slacken, 
his line became less steady, and his charges more and 
more feeble. Tlien KearBoy began to drive him back, 
and recover the ground lost by Hooker. Night, too, 
■was coming on, rain fell in torrents, and the dead and 
wounded lay in unsightly heaps wherever the eye fell. 

Want of harmony between generals in the early part 
of the day had done its damaging work. So apparent 
was this, that it excited considerable alarm among a 
number of "amateur soldiers'^ present with the army, 
and who are always more ornamental than useful ; 
and one of these, who seemed more concerned than the 
rest, started off in pursuit of McClellan. This was a 
young man of the name of Sprague, from Rliode Island, 
who was studying the art of war under Stoneman, and 
doing tlie ornamental soldier in the upholstery of a 
brigadier general. A few persons were mischievous 
enough to say that this little gentleman was the best 
alarmed man that day. I am not ready to vouch for 
the truth of this. It is certain, however, that he gal- 
lopped all the way from the battle-field to Yorktown, 
and appearing before General McClellan in a state of 
great excitement, begged him to go to the front, where 
things were not going on right. 

General McClellan reached the field a little after 
four o'clockj while Kearney was in tlie thickest of tlio 
fight. The news of his appearance on the field ran 
along the line, and clieer after cheer went up, and the 
men seemed to take new courage. If Kearney pos- 
sessed the power of making these men fight, ^IcClerian 
had also the power of gaining their confidence and re- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 405 

?pcct. Those men knew tliat our troubles in tlie early 
part of the day were due to want of generalsliip in 
handling them, not their valor. And this cntliusiastic 
reception on the field was but anotlier proof of the hold 
McClellan had got on the feelings and affections of his 
troops. 

McClellan found the troops fighting on tliree sides 
of Iiim,our line full of gaps, no communication between 
the centre and left wing, and our centre pressed back, 
and on the east when it should have been on the west 
side of a belt of woods between the enemy's position 
and our own. Not a very skilfully planned line of 
battle this, to sa}^ the least. But perhaps the three 
corps and half a dozen or so of division commanders 
then on the field were not to blame for its defects. We 
had not fought many battles then, and the practical 
in generalship was something new to even our best 
generals. 

McClellan quickly re-formed the line, and took ad- 
vantage of what positions we had for artillery. The 
good effect of this was visible at once. He at once 
comprehended the value of Hancock's movement, and 
sent two brigades to support liim, but that General had 
finished the job before they got up. He also ordered 
General Emory, with a force of four regiments of in- 
fantry and two batteries of artillery, to move along a 
road on our extreme left, and, by a quick movement, 
turn the enemy's right. Quick movements were not 
popular at that time, and there was an unaccountable 
delay in getting this small force in motion. Various 
reports were circulated concerning this delay, and the 



406 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

feeling against General Emory for tlie manner in wliich 
lie moved to execute the order was very strong. 

It was said that General Emory complained of inad- 
equate force, want of knowledge of the roads, of want 
of guides, and various other things equally insignifi- 
cant. At least they would be considered so at tliis 
day. It was nearly dark when he began to move. 
And he lost his way before he got far, his column 
became confused, and the Avhole thing was a miserable 
failure. It was common among soldiers at tliat time to 
say when a movement of this kind failed, tliat the offi- 
cer in command could not find his way to the enemy. 
The saying will apply with considerable force in this 
case. 

Kearney held the field, and, night coming in, closed 
the contest. The morning of the 6th came in briglit 
and beautiful. A renewal of the contest was looked 
for, but the enemy had withdrawn during the night, 
leaving us his deserted works and Williamsburg filled 
with the dead and wounded. A sad and sickening 
scene was presented to the eye when we entered the 
old town. Public buildings and private mansions were 
turned into hospitals. In the porticos of private dwel- 
lings the wounded lay stretched in groups, without any 
one to care for them. Others lay writhing in their 
agonies on the lawns. These were the enemy's wounded 
who had been removed to the rear, and left. 

No pen can describe the suffering of our own wounded 
during the terrible night of the 5th. Our means of 
taking care of them were very inadequate at that time. 
Many died for want of prompt attention and proper 
care. Others had crawled into the woods to die, and 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 407 

were found two and three days after, breathing thcii- 
last breath. 

The conduct of the people of Williamsburg during 
this trying scene merited the severest censure, and 
should be marked with condemnation as long as our 
history lasts. At a time when all political differences 
should have been kept out of sight, and every thought 
and energy given to the care of the wounded, v/ithout 
distinction of army, these people, and especidlly the 
women, seized every opportunity to display tlicir liate 
and bitterness. They would even pass by our vrounded 
and suffering with an air of scorn, and carry to their 
own the delicacies with which their houses vv^crc v/cU 
filled. Nor did our offers to pay in gold induce them 
to part with anything that might relieve the suffo/fiugs 
of our men. One woman resisted an attempt to carry 
a wounded officer into her house, insulted the officer 
accompanying him in the most gross manner, and liad 
to be removed by force. Another, when a:^kcd If she 
could give a room to one of our wounded officers, replied 
by saying she would not have her house " polluted by 
a Yankee." And those "high bred'' Virginia ladies, 
when meeting our officers on the streets, would insult 
them in various ways. Indeed, it seemed as if all that 
is infernal in human nature was just tlsen concentrated 
in the hearts of these women, who had sharpened tlieir 
treason with education and refinement, for they bc- 
louGced to the better class of socio tv. 

The Americans of our army, soldiers as well as offi- 
cers, bore these indignities with great forbearance, and, 
indeed, treated them as matter for amusement. Not so 
with our soldiers of foreign birth. They regarded 



408 THE fTORY OF A TROOPER. 

whatever fell i'lto tlicir hands as legitimate prize, and 
I noticed not a few officers of German and Irish birth 
who were read}' to repay these insults in a very sum- 
mary manner, and were only prevented by their respect 
for tiie discipline that then ruled in the army of the 
Potomac. 

Care for tlic wounded and suffering absorbed all 
General McClellan's attention during the morning. 
The roads were in such a bad condition that following 
the enemy with any prospect of success was sligiit in- 
deed. Colonel Averill, however, was despatched witli 
his own regiment of cavalry, (3d Pejinsylvania,) and 
parts of two others, and succeeded, during tiie day, in 
picking up a small number of stragglers, and " captur- 
ing" four guns that had stuck in the mud and been aban- 
doned. This achievement complete, he returned to 
Williamsburg to supper, having neglected to carry that 
very necessary article with him. On tlie 8th, General 
Stoneman set off in pursuit, over the Williamsburg and 
Richmond road, with General Sprague and his "flying 
column." 

Our loss, in killed, wounded, and missing, summed 
up about 2.340. Tliere were various estimates, but I 
am inclined to believe this one, which I procured from 
a very reliable source, nearly correct. The enemy's 
loss was also heavy, but probably less than ours, as 
lie fouglit behind entrenchments most of the time, o,nd 
liis men were well handled. Perhaps it were charity 
to forget much tliat took place at this battle of Wil- 
liamsburg, to cover up forever the omissions of those 
who erred, and to remember it only in the lustre of the 
deeds of valor performed by Hancock and Kearney. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



MOVEMENT OF THE IIIGIIT WING. 

The fleet in Poqiiosin river presented a busy, ])iist- 
ling scene during the 4th and 5th. Franklin was or- 
dered to move with liis division up the York river on 
West Point, at once. It v/as iioped by this movement 
to cut off or intercept some portion of the enen-jy's force 
retreating np the Peninsula. But a flank movement 
by water, even for so short a distance, was likely to be 
attended witii considerable dehiy. Such of the divi- 
sion as had been landed had to bo i:e-shii>ped, aiKl the 
work of getting animals and artillery on board was 
heavy. And there was not room in the river, nor 
wharf facilities, to work to advantage. Officers and 
men worked night and day, and did their best, des- 
patching the vessels round to Yorktown as soon as 
they were loaded, but it was not until nearly noon of 
the Gth that the division was on board, and the fleet 
in line before Yorktown, ready to move. 

The day was remarkably clear and springlike, and 
the river smooth. The signal was given at one 
o'clock, and the fleet moved in two lines, preceded 
by gunboats, and presented a grand appearance. These 
gunboats were at that time a terror to the people along 

409 



410 THE STOHY OF A TROOPER. 

river banks ; a few shells thrown ashore causing many 
of them to leave their homes and seek safety at a 
distance. 

Tlie landscape here was new and strange to us. It 
did, indeed, seem as if we were sailing on a grand ex- 
cursion, with a gay and joyous company, through some 
fair and beautiful garden. The beautifully sloping 
banks of the river, the deep green fields, the fine farm 
houses, with their pretty gardens, their orchards in full 
bloisom, their broad avenues, and lawns dotted with 
shade trees, and the cattle grazing in the distance, 
formed a pastoral picture of great beauty. The people 
came out at times from their liouses, and stood along 
the banks, watching the movements of the fleet. Tlie 
masts of a sunken vessel or the booming of a gun on 
one of the gunboats were tlie only things that gave a 
tinge of war to this beautiful picture. 

Twenty miles above Yorktown the water began to 
shoal, and the river seemed to expand into a lake. 
There was a thickly wooded ridge on the south sliore, 
and extending nearly at right angles from tliis, and 
well across the head of the stream, was a broad level 
|>latcau, at the nortlicrn extremity of which a little 
brick house stood. This was Brick House Point The 
river here made a sweep to the right, or nortli, and 
opened into what seemed a sequestered cove. About 
a mile and a half beyond this, and to the west, was a 
narrow point of land, on which stood a number of 
large wooden buildings or sheds. This was West 
Point, the buildings marking the terminus of the Rich- 
mond and West Point railroad. The Mattapony on 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 411 

tlie one side, and the Pamunky on the other, swept 
past this point, mingled tlieir waters in the cove be- 
low, and formed the York river. 

Our light draught steamers and sailing vessels de- 
ployed along this broad plateau, some of them within 
one hundred yards of the shore, and prepared to land 
the troops, while the gunboats took position to cover 
the landing. The 15th New York, (engineers,) under 
command of Colonel McLeod Murphy, were soon at 
work, preparing landing stages of old canal boats and 
barges. In less than an hour from the time we had 
taken position, the water swarmed with all sorts of odd 
craft, from pontoons to canal boats. Newton's brigade 
was to land first, and began filling the pontoons. 
Slocum's, and then Taylor's, (late Kearney's.) were to 
follow. But the enemy was not inclined to let us do 
this work in peace. 

As soon as the first fleet of pontoons started to make 
a landing, tlie enemy op,ened from a battery concealed 
on the lower end of the ridge I l}aYe before described. 
His shells and round shot flew thick and fast ; some 
of them exploding among the [)ontoons ; others payin;^- 
their compliments to the fleet. The pontoons kept 
steadily on towards the shore, which the men readied 
with cheers. But there was intense excitement among 
the fleet, and it was amusing to see the alarm crealed 
among some of the captains ; some ran ui> iiilo t'lo 
rigging, thinking it a bettei- place of safely than the 
deck. Others sought shelter on the or.tsid<' oi iheit- 
vessels. A sliot whizzed past oiie who had sought 
slielter in the rigging, juid ho canic to (hede*:k so quick 



412 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

that many tliouglit him killed. But he was up in an 
instant, over the side of his vessel, and sculling away 
for dear life in his boat. That captain was remembered 
long after this event, and furnished the subject for 
many a pleasant joke. He had been brave among the 
bravest while we lay in Poquosin river. But he was 
not the only New England captain ready to forsake his 
ship at the first sound of the enemy's guns. 

One shot cut clean through the smoke-stack of the 
steamer Yanderbilt. A second lodged in the cabin of a 
steamer. A third cut the rigging of a schooner. Officers 
began to inquire what our gunboats were doing that they 
did not open. The enemy's shot and shell fell too thick 
and fast to make the work of landing pleasant. The 
fact was, that owing to want of water the gunboats 
found it difficult to get within range of the enemy's 
batteries. They however succeeded at last, and a few 
well directed shells silenced the enemy and drove him 
from his position. The work of landing now went on 
unmolested, and it was surprising to see in what a 
short space of time the engineers had the landing 
stages ready. When the sun went down we had one 
brigade of infantry and two regiments of another 
landed. We also liad three batteries of artillery, 
Arnold's, Xamer's, and Upton's ; and two companies, 
A and C, of the Lincoln Cavalry. Quartermasters, 
too, were rapidly landing supplies. Professor Low 
was up taking an airing in his balloon, but came down 
without bringing us any valuable information concern- 
ing the enemy. He thought he saw signs of the enemy 
north of West Point, but was not sure. I am afraid 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 413 

the balloon, as an instrument of war, was, like many 
of our cheap generals, a sad failure. The Secretary 
of War, I am happy to record to his credit, does not 
even give a passing word to the balloon corps in his 
report. 

Drums beat, bugles sounded, and bands played on 
Brick House Point that night ; and as the shadows of 
the setting sun played over the broad plateau, over the 
gleaming bayonets and flying banners, and over the 
ships on the broad river, giving to each a strange and 
shadowy outline, the scene became grand and imposing. 
The troops formed in line of battle as soon as landed, 
the right stretching away towards the Pamunky river, 
the left residing near the south bank of the York, and 
facing the ridge of wood where the enemy had his bat- 
teries. In a word, our thin line stretched nearly 
across the plateau, on each side of which there was a 
road leading to the wooded position in which the en- 
emy was supposed to be concealed. 

We were entirely in the dark as to the enemy's 
strength, position, and intentions. Pickets were posted, 
and scouts v/cre i^cnt out, wh.o soon returned and re- 
ported the enemy's pickets just in tliC edge of the 
v/ood, a few liundrcd yards south of us. The few 
people we found at Brick House Point had no informa- 
tion to give UP. About ten o'clock at night our picliois 
captured and sent in two of the enemy's men, who, for 
some time, would give no particular account of them- 
selves, except that they belonged to a Texas regiment, 
were out for a " look round,'' and did'nt know our 
lines were so near their own. Thev were both intelli- 



414 THE sTor.Y of a trooper. 

gent men, and fine looking soldiers. One was botli 
silent and sullen ; from the otlier we ascertained tliafc 
the rebel General Whiting, with two brigades of in- 
fantry, a small portion of Wade Hampton's cav- 
alry, and two batteries of artillery, (one a Louisiana 
battery,) some of the best troops of their army, was 
in position in the woods in front of us, and would at- 
tack at daylight in the morning. This force consisted 
of that portion of the enemy's troops retreating along 
the bank of the York river. 

A consultation was held at headquarters, and dispo- 
sitions made to meet this attack with Newton's brig- 
ade, Newton being assigned to command the field. At 
nine o'clock, A. M., of the 7th, tiie enemy opened the 
light with his skirmishers on our riQ:ht and centre. 
This was the first time the troops of our division 
had been under fire, but they met the enemy with 
steadiness and fought with great spirit. The batteries 
on both sides opened about ten o'clock, and a fierce 
cannonading was kept up until one o'clock, the en- 
emy fighting most of the time under cover of the 
woods. , He now began to demonstrate on our right, 
and made several bold and desperate attempts to get 
possession of the road and turn our right. As soon 
as our batteries were got into position these attempts 
on our right were handsomely repulsed, with heavy 
loss to the enemy, regaining the ground we had tempo- 
rarily lost. Newton was everywhere in the thickest 
of the fight, displaying remarkable coolness, great 
skill in handling his troops, and considerable power in 
encouraging his men. A little after one o'clock the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 415 

95 til Pennsyh^ania, or Goslin Zouaves, were ordered 
to advance across a piece of open ground, and dislodge 
the enemy from a piece of wood, from which lie had 
annoyed our center and left considerably. This regi- 
ment always had a bad reputation in the division, its 
material being of the very worst description. 

It was noticed at this time that the regiment moved 
to its work in bad order, and with evident reluctance. 
It reached the edge of the woods, but broke in confu- 
sion at the enemy's first fire, and ran back like a flock 
of frightened sheep. The ofiBcers were quite as bad 
as the men. It was indeed amusing to hear the stories 
these distressed heroes told of meeting tlie enemy's in- 
fantry four deep, of getting waist deep into a swamp, of 
being led into a trap and cut down without any chance 
of defending themselves. Not a few of them sought 
a cover for their cowardice by attacking the general- 
ship of the ofiBcer in command." 

This disgraceful affair of the Pennsylvanians encour- 
aged the enemy to make one or two more bold move- 
ments on our right and center. The 3lst and 32d 
New York were now ordered up to do the work. It 
was a beautiful sio-ht to see these regiments move 
promptly forward in a steady straight line, receive and 
return the enemy's fire as they approached the wood, 
and then charge into it, sweeping everything before 
tliem as they advanced up tlie hill. The enemy met 
thsm here with a deadly fire, the effect of wliich was 
seen in their thinned line. But there was no waver- 
in<r in tlie ranks. The {rroiind was liorc contested with 



- Some of tlie?e absuvd s^Lories got into tlio newspapers 



416 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

great bravery on both sides, but the enemy began to 
give way before the steady advance of our troops, his 
fire slackened all along the line, and finally ceased 
about three o'clock, when he gathered up his dead and 
wounded and left the field. Just as the fight ended, 
the gunboats, which had found some difficulty in get- 
ting into position, owing to the tide, opened on the en- 
emy's right, hastening his movements from the field. 

Various strange and somewhat romantic accounts 
have been written of this battle, if such it may be 
called, and given to the public for true. In nearly all 
of them the victory is credited to the gunboats, whereas 
they did not open their guns until the fight was essen- 
tially over. In one, General Morrill was credited with 
fighting the battle, and acting with great gallantry. 
Morrill was at least twenty miles away, and was much 
amused when he saw tlie part he had taken in a battle 
he was not in so carefully described by the veracious 
writer. Another intelligent correspondent wrote so 
remarkable a description of this battle as to astonish 
all the generals who were in it, and a good many who 
were not. He also described himself as continually in 
the thickest of the fight, and so " begrimed b}' the smoke 
of battle" as scarcely to be able to see the paper lie 
was writing on, when, to tell the honest trutli, he was 
spending the day on the West Point side of the river, 
gathering wild flowers. 

This was called a little fio-ht, but there was some 
good fighting done, and General Newton deserves 
;::roat credit for his coolness and gallantry during the 
day. Himself a Virginian, roared and educated 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 417 

amongst, and long the intimate associate of those who 
were now lighting to destroy the Republic, he stood 
firmly by his country, and no influence they could bring 
could make him a traitor. There were also. three offi- 
cers of lower rank whose coolness and bravery on the 
field that day deserve to be recorded. These were 
Colonel Pratt, of the 31st N. Y. Y., and Colonel 
Matheson and Major Lemon, of the 32d N. Y. Y., (for- 
merly 2d California.) Nothing could have exceeded 
the steadiness and bravery with wiiich these officers 
led their regiments into the woods, in the face of the 
enemy's hottest fire. They have since distinguished 
themselves on several battle fields. Pratt still lives, 
but was severely wounded at Gaines' Hill. The other 
two have given tlieir lives to their country. Poor 
Lemon, in whose breast a more generous heart never 
beat, died of wounds received at the battle of Cramp- 
ton's Gap, 

The casualties of this battle, which was fought at 
Brick House Point, not Vf est Point, as has been erro- 
neously stated, were forty-four killed, and one hundred 
and fifty-two wounded, many seriously. We lost seven- 
teen fine young officers killed. And out of a company 
of seventy-four men (31st N. Y. Y.) whicli charged 
into the woods, only eight returned. The remainder, 
including its officers, were either killed or wounded. 

During the severest fighting on our riglit, Lieut. 
Baker of General Franklin's, and Captain Montgomery 
of General Newton's staffs, rode beyond our line, got 
confused, and fell into (he enemy's hands. A minute 
or two after, one of our batteries happened to drop a 
19 



418 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

shell close to the spot where they were captured, caus- 
ing the rebels to make a sudden movement for safet3\ 
Baker, who still had his horse, took advantage of this, 
started at full speed, and made his escape. Mont- 
gomery was not so fortunate. He had lost liis horse, 
and lay on the ground affecting to be dead, when some 
rebel officers came up and began an inquisitive inquiry 
into the extent of his valuables. In the exercise of 
their chivalry his pockets had to be delicately exam- 
ined, and as articles of jewelry and spare cash could 
be of no earthly use to a dead man, what harm could 
there be in appropriating them? "During this little 
operation," said the captain, " they tickled me. I could 
not stand that, and had to come to life, laughing." He 
claimed good treatment as their prisoner of war ; but 
his captors were both sullen and earnest, and not dis- 
posed to enjoy such a joke, which they characterized 
as a mean Yankee way of " playing possum." But 
the captain was a pleasant gentleman, and by his man- 
ners soon succeeded in reconciling them to him. 

We had set the captain down as a prisoner. About 
10 o'clock at night, however, lie relieved our anxiety 
by walking into headquarters, and, of course, giving 
us a very interesting account of the way in which he 
made his escape, and what the rebels said and did 
while he enjoyed their hospitality. The captain's uni- 
form was somewhat damaged ; but the loss of his 
horse, sword, and watch was the most serious. 

There were acts of savager}^ com.mitted on our dead 
and wounded by the enemy during this battle that were 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 419 

a disgrace to civilization, and fetioiild stand as an in- 
delible proof of the cruel spirit which ruled in the 
southern army during the early stages of the war. 
One of our officers was found with his throat cut from 
ear to ear. And this act of savagerv had been per- 
formed after liis body had been pierced by balls. The 
bodies of two otliers had been brutally cut with knives. 
The men reviewed these disfigured bodies with feelings 
deeply excited. Many of them swore to take revenge 
at the first opportunity; but the spirit of retribution 
did not accord with their notions of manliness, and I 
never heard of their treating the enemy's wounded and 
prisoners except with respect and kindness. 

It was reported in camp that these acts of savagery 
were committed by Cherokee Indians, attached to 
Wade Hampton's command. It was also reported that 
negroes were seen dragging these bodies into the 
woods after tliey fell, and having stripped them of 
everything valuable, inflicted these wounds with knives. 
Being unable to trace these reports to a reliable source, 
I am inclined to discredit them, and to believe iliat 
these savage acts were committed by men with whiter 
hands, if not hearts. 

During the afternoon Lieut. Hoff, of General Frank- 
lin's staff, was sent with a steamer to West Point, to 
bring away about forty persons, mostly women and old 
men, who belonged in the vicinity of Fort Monroe, 
and had been taken and held by Magruder as hostages 
for a similar number of civilians " witli rebel tenden- 
cies" arrested and held bv Butler. The rebel force 



420 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

retreating from Gloucester Point had left tliem here. 
Lieut. Hoif found them in a most destitute condition, 
and took immediate steps to supply their wants and 
restore them to their homes. I shall not attempt to 
draw a p.icture of these poor people. Several of them 
were young, delicate girls, who told a sad and sicken- 
ing story of the treatment they had received at the 
hands of men claiming to be southern gentlemen 



i 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



A MARCH TO ELTHAM— A CHICKEN CONFLICT— AN OLDEN-TIME HABt 

TATION. 

The morning after the battle (the 8th) came in bright 
and beautiful. The crash and clash of battle had 
ceased, and although its fierce engines were still here, 
and the dead were there to harrow up the feelings of 
the living, and the wounded to call for succoring hands 
and sympathizing hearts, the quiet picture was in strange 
contrast with that of j^esterday. We were surrounded 
by one of those soft, quiet landscapes than which none 
could be more beautiful. A gentle breeze, sweet with 
the breath of flowers, came playing as it wer^ over the 
river. And tli^calm, winding waters of the Pamunky 
and Mattapony, the vast green fields that stretched 
away from their banks, tlie dark, luxuriant foliage that 
gave such a crispness and outline to the picture, with 
flowers everywhere in full bloom — all seemed to com- 
bine in one enchanting harmony. Here nature had 
just put on her most beautiful robes, as if to excite the 
soul's love. Strange thoughts forced themselves on the 
mind, one after another, while sitting on the bank of 
the river contemplatipg this gorgeous scene. How 

is it, I asked mvself, that a God who is all goodness, 

421 



422 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and controls all things, has made man the most destruc- 
tive of all His creatures, and permits him to lay waste 
these beautiful scenes, to scourge the earth with war ? 

There were arrivals from Washington and New York 
this morning, and we again had the sutler and the news- 
boy in camp, both doing a brisk business. The battle 
of Williamsburg was just then absorbing our atten- 
tion, and as we were anxious to get the lists of killed 
and wounded, everybody bought a newspaper. 

Portions of Sedgwick's, Richardson's, and Porter's 
divisions had couie up by water from Yorktown during 
the night. About 9 o'clock there might have been 
seen about the headquarters' tents groups of generals, 
some of whose names will have a prouiinent place in 
the nation's history. In one stood the tall, thoughtful, 
and brave Franklin; the affable and courteous Fitz 
John Porter ; that sturdy, frank, and unpretentious 
soldier, Sedgwick ; and the blunt, but good-liumored 
Colonel Alexander, surrounded by a number of their 
staff officers. In another stood tlie sleiKler, meditative, 
and restless Slocum, with his bronzed face and sharp 
features ; the genial and brave John Newton ; Dana, 
and the rolicking and energetic Torbert, of tlie Jersey 
brigade. There, too, was the honest-hearted Richard- 
son ; all surrounded by a number of staff officers, many 
of whom have since been killed or disabled for life ; 
others have risen to high commands. 

About 10 o'clock, an enterprising German arrived 
from Washington with a supply of refreshing lager, 
which found a hearty welcome at headquarters, for the 
morning was warm and sultry. Our friends, the newly 



TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 423 

arrived generals, were invited to join us, and numerous 
glasses were quaffed, with thanks to the man who first 
made lager. 

About one o'clock, Franklin's division was ready to 
march, and after the wounded were taken care of, and 
the solemn ceremony of burying the dead performed, 
moved forward on a narrow, swampy, road, five miles 
to Eltham, on the right bank of the Pamunky, which 
here made a beautiful curve, and to the west of which, 
and following the course of the winding stream, exten- 
sive meadows stretched away as far as the eye could 
r.each. Tliis Eltham was a broad, level farm, of some 
two thousand acres, the soil remarkably rich and pro- 
ductive, and even now under tolerably good cultivation. 
It had evidently been a place of considerable impor- 
tance, and had a history full of romance. Time was 
when the wealth, the fashion, the beauty, and the wits 
of the country round about assembled at Eltham, and 
held high court on the lawns and in the halls of the old 
mansion. But Eltham, like Virginia's pride, (a pride 
strongly resembling that found in England,) was coming 
down, and going to decay. An old black man, who 
had passed his five-score years, still lived on the place, 
and could tell you with great distinctness of the time 
when Eltham was gay and festive, and when the great 
men of Virginia were the welcome guests of his master, 
and the feast set before them was " the best in all the 
land." 

Extensive fields of flowering clover, of rye, and wheat, 
stretched away from the river, and into these our di- 
vision debouched and bivouacked, the animals enjoying 



424 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the feast thus spread before them. In fortj-eight hours 
these fields, so luxuriant of the coming harvest when 
^ye entered them, presented only a surface of bald clay. 
A landing was also made on the bank of the river, and 
a temporary depot established, and the fleet of trans- 
ports and steamers came sweeping up in grand style, 
their spars and funnels presenting a novel appearance 
among the trees and deep green foliage with which the 
river banks were lined. 

Our information respecting the capacity of the Pa- 
munky river was somewhat confused at first. Few 
vessels of any size had ascended above West Point. 
Virginians had not given themselves the trouble to sound 
it, nor to consider the advantages it might give them 
in properly developing so rich a country. Hence it 
came to be regarded by the people along its banks as 
navigable only for oyster boats and small craft of very 
light draught. Some of the negroes, who had acted as 
pilots and oystermcn on the river, thought a channel 
could be found much further up for nine and even ten feet 
of water. In order to settle this question, a gunboat, 
commanded by Captain Nicholson, with Colonel Alex- 
ander, of the engineers. Captain Arnold, of the artil- 
lery, (then on Franklin's staff,) and two other officers, 
whose names I have forgotten, started on a voyage of 
discovery up the river, the object being to establish 
our depot of supplies as near Richmond as we could 
get by water. 

The old Eltham mansion was a large, high, double- 
storied brick house, with tall cliimncys at eacli end, a 
?|)acious hall in the centre, quaint gable windows on the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 425 

steep roof, and large airy rooms, filled with substantial, 
but old-fashioned furniture. But little pains had been 
taken to keep the building in repair, and there was a 
dingy, antiquated air about it, inside as well as out. 
Several buildings used for servants' quarters, and which 
bore evidence of having been spacious and comfortable, 
were now tumbling down in decay. A large brick 
building, a few yards from the house, was used permis- 
cuously for a kitchen, a chicken loft, a carriage house, 
and the quarters of several old and infirm negroes. 
But the whole more nearly resembled the shop of a 
blacksmith, who had taken a rag-seller and sootty cook 
into partnership. 

The present owner of this plantation, a rank seces- 
sionist, whose name I have now forgotten, left for a place 
of safety as we approached, leaving everything to the 
care of an overseer, a swarm of sootty women and chil- 
dren (slaves) of all colors, and a few very old men. 
The able-bodied field hands, except the few he had in- 
duced to go with him, had all gone in pursuit of freedom. 
Those left had had it all their own way for a day or 
two, and the house was in nice state of confusion when 
we entered it. The overseer, too, was in a state of 
great grief at the way things were going, and wished, 

as he said, every hour in the day, that Mr. -— had 

stayed at home to look after the property. What 
grieved him most was that the negroes treated his 
orders with contempt, and " grinned at him, and said 
they won't." He wanted to apply the lash, and whi{) 
them into obedience, as he had been accustomed to. 

When told that if he attempted it he would find him- 
19* 



426 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

self in tlie guard-honse, and perhaps in irons, he thought 
it very hard of us to interfere in this way with his au- 
thority. This overseer was a little, lean, leathery man, 
with a sallow complexion, or perhaps I should say, no 
complexion at all, a sharp, angular visage, and a small 
dull eye. He wore a shabby grey coat, that reached 
almost to his heels, a soft hat slouched over his eyes, 
and seemed to be shirtless. He was a strange and 
quaint item of humanity, this little old man, this sov- 
ereign of the lash, who had so long controlled the af- 
fairs of the plantation. His mind seemed to be in a 
continual state of confusion and perplexity. He would 
pace up and down in front of the old mansion, now 
pausing and looking with an air of wonder over the 
fields that were being desolated, then mutter to himself 
as if crazed with some new care. Then he would stand 
for an hour, fixed as a statue, but like a man full of sor- 
rows, and without knowing what to do. If any one 
asked him a question he would answer civilly, moodily ; 
and he would generally end by saying, " Things have 

clianged so mightily since Mr. left, I don't know 

what's best to be done." Then he would shake his head 
and inquire if we intended to send them all away and 
sell the place. *' If you do," he would add, " tliere'll 
be no more for overseers to do." Tlie picture of tliis 
little, moody old man, as he passed up and down before 
the antiquated mansion, contemplating at times the 
troops that had so suddenly and rudely destroyed his 
fields, was one I shall not soon forget. 

AYe took possession of the old mansion, and converted 
it into headqunrters for Generals Franklin, Slocum, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 427 

and Newton. The "young gentlemen" of the staff 
made themselves comfortable in the upper rooms, whicli 
were spacious and airy, and well stocked with feather 
beds and massive high-post bedsteads. General Frank- 
lin ordered that nothing be taken from the house, and 
the furniture, as far as possible, be preserved from liarin. 
An inquisitive correspondent, however, found means of 
getting into the bureaus, and brought to light a num- 
ber of ancient and curious documents, some of them 
valuable for their connection with the history of the 
place. There was also a considerable number of valua- 
ble old books found in one of the rooms, and which I 
fear were destroyed after we left. 

When we arrived, the yards and gardens swarmed 
with pigs, turkeys, geese, and chickens, and against 
these an indiscriminate war was carried on until the 
provost marshal came up and put an end to it. The 
generals had gone out to examine the front and direct 
the disposition of troops ; and several " young gentle- 
men" of the staff, seeing such an excellent opportunity 
of replenishing their larders, set upon the astonished 
poultry and defenceless roasters with a fierceness and 
energy they had not displayed in battle. Clubs, stones, 
pistols, and swords were used freely, and it was, to say 
the least, somewhat amusing to see a race for life be- 
tween the smallest kind of a porker and a brilliantly 
uniformed staff officer. Another, with a taste for 
chicken or turkey, would draw his sword and begin the 
chase, not stopping until he liad secured his game. The 
most amusing scene during tliis " chicken war," at El- 
tham, which was not waged without the loss of somo 



428 THE STOEY OF A TROOPER. 

blood, was enacted between a tall, gaunt, fair-liaired 
German officer of cavalry, in spectacles, and prodi- 
giously booted and spurred, on tlie one side, and a goose 
he wanted for dinner on the other. The goose resolved 
not to be captured, and made desperate use of both 
wings and legs, and the stalwart trooper was equally 
resolved not to be done out of his dinner ; so the cliase 
was kept up for at least twenty minutes, the trooper 
gaining on the goose at every stride, cutting right and 
left with his sabre, and each time missing his aim, owing 
to short-sightedness. In truth, the goose was likely 
to get the better of the trooper, when the assistance 
of an Irish orderly was called in and tlie g-abbler 
brought down with a stone. Other gentlemen were 
equally persevering in their pursuit of turkeys and 
chickens ; and what with the loud gabbling of geese, the 
squeals of pigs, tlie screams of chickens, the loud gob- 
bling of turkeys, and the wild enthusiasm of little ne- 
groes, who joined in the chase, the medley of ungrate- 
ful sounds became deafening. Two splendid peacocks, 
alarmed at the slaughter that was going on, sought, 
safety on the top of the house, and remained perched 
on one of the tall chimneys, where we left them two 
days afterwards, cautiously viewing the scenes below, 
but exhibiting no inclination to come down for food or 
water. 

The little old overseer was very much disturbed in 
his mind at seeing tlie ranks of liis poultry thus uncere- 
moniously thinned out, and seemed greatly relicvo(l 
when the provost marshal ordered him to lock up what 
ihQVQ was left, and sell them for gold, which he d\(]. 



THE STORY OF A TKOOPER. 429 

finding ready customers. Now, tliis ^ar on the poultry 
of the Eltham plantation had its serious, as well as 
humorous aspects, and came very near resulting in a 
duel between two gallant gentlemen of the staff. A 
question of right to a chicken arose, and resulted in a 
yery angry dispute between Captain Walden and Lieu- 
tenant Baker. Menacing attitudes were taken, and 
language used not common among gentlemen. It 
looked, indeed, as if we should be called on to measure 
ground for the gentlemen, and send for surgeons, pis- 
tols being the only means left of insuring satisfaction 
and settling the dispute. It may disappoint the rea- 
der, however, to know that no blood was shed, and that 
the dispute came to an end by each striving to outdo 
in the use of very bad language. 

A short distance in the rear of the old mansion, near 
the bank of the river, and shaded by some fine old 
trees, was an ancient cemetery, surrounded bv a hiirli 
brick wall, and entered through an arched gateway, 
with stone lintels. In the centre of thi§ cemetery 
stood a moss-covered tomb, with the slab broken in the 
centre, and otherwise defaced. After clearing away 
the moss, I succeeded in reading the following inscrip- 
tion on the slab : 

" Here lyes Intered ye body of y Hon. William 
B. Basseti, Esq., and Bridget, his wife, 
of the County of Southampton, 
in ye Kingdom of England. 
He married Joanna, eldest daughter of Lewis Burv/ell, Esq., with 
whom he happily lived 29 years rnd ten months, and was blessed 
with 5 sons and T daughters. He departed this life y® 11th of Octo- 
ber, 1*723, in the 53d year of his age. He was a good christian, an 



430 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

affectionate, obliging husband, a kind and indulgent father, and a 
good master. His loss was greatly lamented by his county, his 
country, and family, and inexpressively to his mournful, disconso- 
late widow, who also departed this life y« 7th day of Octobei', 1727, 
in yc 53d } ear of her age." 

There is no doubt that good Squire Bassett was a 
fine Virginia gentleman of the olden time ; tliat he 
kept clioice hounds and fleet horses ; that he entertained 
his friends at the chase ; that he had many slaves ; that 
the lords and ladies of the land were welcome guests 
at his mansion ; that, in a word, he lived as a fine old 
gentleman ought to live, and died a good christian. 
But that was before the hearts and souls of Virginia 
gentlemen were made corrupt by the degrading busi- 
ness of slave-breeding. Eltham had fallen from its higli 
estate; genius, beauty, and wealth no longer held court 
in its halls ; its gardens were overgrown with rank 
weeds, and the traces of its former grandeur fast wear- 
ing out in decay; and there was proof enough that the 
present o,wner made slave-breeding Eltham's chief 
source of profit. 

" You used to raise a good many slaves on this place, 
I suppose?" inquired a Union soldier, stopping and 
accosting the little, old overseer. 

** A right smart heap," replied the man, curtly. 

'' About how many ?" queried the soldier. 

" Say from fifteen to twenty a yeer ; prime hands ; 
brought a right smart bit of money ; wus wurth from 
ten to twelve hunderd a head. Niggers all runed away 
whin you cum'd. Aint wuth much now. Slipperyest 
property now a man can have." 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 431 

"What did you used to do with them?" continued 
the soldier, fixing a stare on him ; " sell them in the 
market with your pigs ?'*' 

" Down South," replied the man, confusedly ; t!icu 
turning to the soldier, with a look of sympathy, lie con- 
tinued, in broken sentences, " Bin a prayin all night 
that the Lord would deliver us from this cuss as is cum 
upon us." 

" Old man," replied the soldier, with a look of 
scorn, " better if you had prayed to the devil. G-od 
don't heed the prayers of wicked men like you." 



CHAPTER XI 



SOCIAL PICTURES. 

When night came, and the bright moon was shining, 
and the heavens were made beautiful with stars, and 
the flitting, hovering moonbeams, and the camp-fires, 
and the signal lanterns of the fleet, all mingled their 
shadowy lights, the vast landscape of wood, water, 
and plain presented one of those grand and bewitch- 
ing scenes the pen fails to describe. We had supped 
from rustic tables erected on the lawn, and were sitting 
in groups before the old mansion, smoking and discus- 
sing various subjects connected with the war. The 
chief group was made up of general officers, with 
Franklin for a central figure. The subject most ear- 
nestly discussed was in regard to what course the au- 
thorities at Washington would pursue; whether they 
would fully appreciate the military necessity of the time, 
and sustain General McClellan, or, yielding to the in- 
fluence of his impractical enemies, they would continue 
to decrease his forces, rendering it impossible for him 
to carry out his plans. Great anxiety was felt on this 
point, and the discussion of it was conducted with more 
or less waimtli of feeling until a late hour. It was 
conceded by all that the President was a man of good 

432 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 433 

intentions, and meant to do what was right for the 
benefit of the country, so far as he knew ; but it was 
evident that he did not clearly comprehend our military 
necessities, and great fears were entertained that he 
would yield to the bad influence of men who knew less 
of war than himself, and by underrating the enemy's 
strength and resources, destroy the combination it was 
absolutely necessary to carry out in all its parts to in- 
sure success. It was felt and discussed that the Presi- 
dent, in reducing the force of the main army, from 
120,000 to about 80,000, was placing it in a dangerous 
position, and dangerously exposing the best interests 
of the nation. What seemed to annoy some of these 
generals most, was a very general apprehension that 
the authorities at Washington were shaping their mili- 
tary acts according to the notions of a very mischiev- 
ous class of civilians, who had shut their eyes to the 
nation's necessities — men who made their opposition to 
McClellan superior to everything else, and urged it 
upon a wavering and kind-hearted President, from pas- 
sion and prejudice, instead of principle and judgment. 
Again, the subject of conversation would turn on 
the cause of our delay, and the question would be asked 
why we were consuming so much time in these move- 
ments. This would at once bring up the name of Mc- 
Dowell, who was expected to move up from Fredericks- 
burg, and take position on our extreme right, when 
we should reach the Chickahominy. Tlie papers would 
bring us the news every morning that he was still in 
Washington, consulting with the authorities, and this 
would increase the feeling against him. His appear- 



4o4 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

a nee in WasLington, wlien lie sliould have been with 
liis troops, and performing his part of tlie plan, was 
discussed in language more emphatic than compHincn- 
tary. It was argued that our movements must be made 
in accordance with his ; and it came at last to be a bj- 
Avord, that we were waiting for McDowell to move. 

These subjects were discussed until a late hour ; then 
a band plaj-ed sweet music on the lawn, and a man 
with an exceedingly fine voice, (a soldier in one of the 
New York regiments,) sang us several songs, and our 
first evening at Eltham will be long remembered by all 
who enjoyed the pleasant scenes around headquarters. 

The most amusing scene of the evening was yet to be 
enacted. General Franklin was sitting quietly, smok- 
ing his cigar, and about to retire for the night, when 
Major Yon Flopp, in his feathers and brightest uniform, 
made his appearance, followed by the inseparable 
Crump, his bugler. Not a little surprise was felt at 
his appearance at this hour, and many inquiries were 
made as to what brought him here. But as the fellow 
had become well known for a simpleton throughout the 
whole division, and had been made the victim of innu- 
merable jokes, it began at once to be suspected that 
some one had sent him on a fool's errand. The gentle- 
men of the staff now gathered about him, as he began 
to evolve himself in the presence of Franklin. 

Lowering his hat and making one of his lowest bows, 
the Major proceeded : " Though I didn't take part in 
that battle, cnid regret that I was not up in time, so 
that you should see that I am no coward, my heart was 
in tlie thickest of it with vou. You, General Frank- 



THE STOKY OF A TKOOPER. -135 

lin, arc a great General, and it does me lionor to serve 
under you, and to know that your fame shall live 
among future generations. I have come now lo pay 
my respects to you after this victory, as it is the duly 
of every field officer to do.'' Here the Major paused, 
rubbed his head, as if there were some more idea^ in 
it he would like to get out, turned first to liis bugler, 
who was making grimaces behind his back, then to 
General Franklin, who was blushing and nodding. 
The Major accepted tliis nodding as approval of Vvdiac 
he was saying, and would Iiave continued his compli- 
ments until midnight, affording us no end of amuse- 
ment, and making Franklin out the greatest General 
history had any account of. The General saw that 
some wag had been playing a joke on the IMajor, and 
would have made short work of his flattery, had not 
a more mischievously inclined Brigadier invited the 
Major to entertain us with an account of the capture 
of Ann and ale. 

Annandale was a rather sore subject with the 
Major, wlio shook his head, frisked his fingers through 
his bushy hair, and finally called on Crump to bear 
witness to the courage he displayed in performing that 
act. " If an officer captures a town, (my bugler here 
knows that I did !) why he captures it. If he holds 
it, so much the better, because then the prospect of 
peace looks well. And if it turn out that there was 
no enemy in it when he captured it, wliose fault is it? 
Wiiy, sir, the enemy's, at not being tlicre." Here tlie 
Major paused and made a low bow, satisfied that he 
had at least upset the lugic of his adversaries. " A 



4-3G THE STonY of a trooper. 

man with a large number of enemies," he resumed, " is 
no fool. And these enemies of mine, who would malce 
me a fool every hour in the daj^, are wasting all tlicir 
capital on wind." 

" Major !" interrupted the General, " you will have 
no objection to doing your country and the service 
some good in a practical way, I suppose ?" 

Tlie Major bowed and smiled, and at length replied : 
" I am to obey your orders. General, and shall show 
you that I have the courage to carry them out like a 
true soldier." 

" Captain Purdy," returned the General, addressing 
his Adjutant General, " let Major YonFlopp go to one 
of the landings, and superintend the landing of animals, 
to be relieved in the morning at 9 o'clock." 

The Major regarded this assignment at first as a 
compliment to his military genius, and did not discover 
!iis mistake until he had been three hours on duty 
nmong cattle, horses, and herdsmen, and so seriously 
damaged his new uniform as to cause him great grief 
for a week. The officers of his own regiment were 
iMuch amused at the turn the joke had taken, for they 
had made him believe that it was customary after a 
battle for field officers to pay their respects to the Gen- 
eral in command. Hence the Major's appearance at 
h.eadquarters. I must inform the reader that this was 
the last time he appeared at headquarters to pay his 
respects during the campaign of the Peninsula. 

On the morning of the 9th, we got news that Gen- 
eral McClellan had reached Roper's church, about nine 
miles across country, and established his headquarters. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 43T 

Communicatioii was thus opened between our riglit 
and centre ; and Generals Franklin and Porter, witli 
several members of their staffs, rode over to General 
McClellan's headquarters, and held an interview with 
him. 

Slocum's brigade moved out about three miles to a 
stumpy, new clearing, called the cross-roads, and en- 
camped. Stoneman, witli his %ing column of cavalry, 
and General Sprague, passed up about four miles soutli 
of us, and had a skirmish with the enemy's rearguard, 
but, as usual, without inflicting any serious injury on 
Lim. Under the belief that he could do something of , 
real value if he had infantry to support his cavalry, 
Stoneman had obtained an order on our division for 
two regiments, which were sent to him from the Jersey 
Brigade. It was surprising to see how much opposi- 
tion this order excited among some of our brigadier 
generals, who prevailed upon General McClellan to 
rescind the order and send the infantry back to their 
brigade. The rest of the day was spent at Eltham, 
landing cattle, supplies, and cavalry, the last being very 
slow in getting up. Indeed, it was almost impossible 
to tell why this cavalry should have been sent from 
Yorktown by water, subject to all the expense and de- 
lay of embarking and discharging, as well as cost of 
transports, when a good road was open all the way up, 
and fields of clover a foot deep. 

The first supply train from Yorktown came through 
in charge of Alex, our Irish Lieutenant, who had been 
selected for the duty. The gunboat we had sent up 
the Pamunky reached Cumberland landing early on the 



438 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

morning of the 10th, having passed a number of sunk- 
en vessels, and removed a variety of obstructions 
placed in the channel by the rebels. A good, safe 
channel, with ten and even eleven feet of water, was, 
however, found and marked out up to the landing, 
wliich was at Tooler's plantation, a vast open plain, 
affording magnificent advantages for encamping the 
wliole army. A high ridge, on which the plantation 
house stood, overlooked an immense extent of country, 
and gave the spectator a view which, for picturesque- 
ness, I have rarely seen excelled. A pale mist hung 
over the hill, and a camp with three or four white 
tents was dimly seen from the deck of the gunboat, 
pitched a few yards in front of the plantation house. 
As the mist lifted, the shadowy figures of the camp 
guards stood out in clear relief. The question was 
whether they were the enemy or our men. A glass was 
brought into use, and the blue overcoats decided the 
question. It was Stoneman's camp. He had halted his 
flying column, and was waiting for the infantry to 
move up. He had lost, it was reported, several of his 
men in an affair with the enemy near New Kent Court- 
House, the evening before. 

Colonel Alexander, Captain Arnold, and several 
others landed and made their way to the camp, but 
with the exception of the guards, everytliing appeared 
in undisturbed slumber. While, however, the Colonel 
was making inquiry of tlie guard as to where he could 
find General Stoneman, a small-sized head protruded 
from one of the tents, and a somewhat husky voice in- 
quired who the strangers were. The head and voice 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 439 

were General Sprague's. The General seemed some- 
what confused, and could not exactly understand that 
the flying column had been overtaken by a gunboat. 
The strangers soon had a pleasant greeting with 
General Stoneman, who gave them an account of some 
skirmishing had with the enemy on his way up/ They 
now made an examination of the ground in the vicin- 
ity, and in the direction of New Kent Court-House, 
procured correct information concerning the roads, 
and returning to the gunboat proceeded back to 
Eltham to report tlie success of their expedition. All 
the light drauglit vessels of our fleet could ascend the 
crooked Pamunky to Cumberland Landing, and on 
this being reported to General McClellan, it was at 
once determined to establisli our depot of supplies 
there. 

On the morning of the 10th another brigade of our 
division moved over to the cross-roads I have before 
mentioned, and encamped in the stumpy fields and on 
the wooded hills. In the afternoon General Franklin 
and his staff rode out and met General McClellan and 
several members of his staff at Slocum's headquarters, 
where they were very handsomely entertained. Accom- 
panying the General was his favorite aid. Colonel 
Sweitzer, the Duke de Chartres, Count de Paris, and 
the Prince de Joinville, whose agreeable manners 
always added a charm to the company he was in. A 
very pretty and intelligent boy, belonging to a poor 
family in the neighborhood, who had been in Hichm.ond 
about a week before, was brought into headquarters 
and introduced to General McClellan, wlio questioned 



440 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

him as to what he knew about the rebel capital. 
What he had to tell, however, was based only on 
rumor. "There was great excitement when I left," 
he said, " and it was reported that Mr. Jeiferson Davis 
liad left the big stone house, and done gone out of 
Richmond," 

It was here that General McClellan brought us the 
news of the evacuation of Norfolk and destruction of 
the phantom terror of our navy, the Merrimac, vvliich 
news was received with an outburst of rejoicing that 
made the very woods echo. When it became known 
to the soldiers that General McClelhm was in cainp, 
they manifested the wildest enthusiasm, broke away 
from all restraint, and cheered for him in tlieir loudest 
strains. When, on taking his departure, he rode 
through the camps, they gathered about him in crowds, 
impeded his progress, threw up their cops, and made 
the very air ring witli their shouts of joy. It was 
the most natural outburst of affection for the chief 
they loved I had seen the soldiers manifest. 

The afternoon was warm and pleasant, and after the 
General had taken leave of us Captain Jackson and 
myself rode out about five miles in the direction of 
New Kent Court-House, over a road finely shaded 
with trees and bordered with flowering shrubs. On 
our return we stopped at the farm of one William 
Martin, an honest-hearted farmer, whose house stood 
about half a mile from the road, and where we found 
a liearty welcome, and were entertained with new milk 
and muffins. Farmer Martin gave us ample proof that 
he had always been a good Union man, and liod, with 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 441 

many others in liis neighborhood, struggled liard 
against the men who carried Virginia into rebellion. 
There was something so sincere, so kindly about the 
man and his wife, who seemed a very model of good- 
ness, as to make us forget that we were in an enemy's 
country. He was not one of the rich, opulent planters, 
ov/ning a hundred slaves, and therefore liating the 
Union that afforded them protection. They were to be 
found on the rich bottom lands adjoining the river, 
where wealth seemed to give greater force and bitterness 
to treason. Martin lived on what was called tlie ordi- 
nary upland, several miles away from the river, where 
the people were less educated and wealthy, but among 
wliom I noticed a strong love for the Union and a more 
kindly treatment of our soldiers. Martin's farm com- 
prised about five hundred acres ; three hundred of it 
finely wooded with oaks and chesnut, tlie balance of 
it. under that very ordinary kind of cultivation which 
has been followed in Virginia for at least a century. 
The farming implements here were of the rudest kind, 
and I could not suppress a feeling of regret that all 
these fine lands should remain unproductive for want 
of a little of that science and energy wliich has done 
so much for the advancement of agriculture in the 
North and West. Martin had but a few slaves, and 
cultivated his soil chiefly with free labor. We re- 
lumed to Eltliam that night at a rapid pace, and 
Captain Jackson's line liorse fell dead a few minutes 
«nfter we reached headquarters. 

Early the next morning we moved with the remain- 
dor of the division, and established our headquarters 
20 



442 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

about a mile beyond the cross-roads. On the 12th I 
went out with the provost marshal and a company of 
cavalry to post guards along the road to protect prop- 
erty. In one house we found an aged mother and her 
only daughter, a young woman of eighteen, witli an 
infant in her arms, the father, their only support, hav- 
ing been conscripted into the rebel army. A more 
terrible picture of poverty and distress could scarcely 
be presented. In another house were two young girls, 
and an aged, infirm father, the two brothers who 
worked the little farm having fallen victims to the 
inexorable conscription of&cer. The house of tlie 
sheriff or tax collector of the county was deserted, its 
furniture broken, and its floors strewn a foot deep with 
papers, old books, and manuscripts. Three or four old 
negroes still remained in the cabins, and told us this 
destruction was the work of some of our soldiers, who 
had passed that way the day before, and learned that 
their master was an arrant rebel. 

On returning, I took four cavalrymen and stopped 
at Martin's liouse, to protect his propert}^ while the 
army marched up on the next morning. During the 
day I observed that he exhibited considerable anxiety 
of mind about something. He at length disclosed to 
me the cause of it. The wife of a Major Jones, who 
was in the rebel army, had been friglitened from her 
house on the banks of the Pamunky by the shells of 
our gunboats, and leaving in a state of great distress, 
had made her way through the woods, iind sought shel- 
ter under liis roof. The poor woman was now secreted 
in one of his garrets — a fact he considered it his duty 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 443 

to disclose to me, especially as lie bad been assured that 
the distressed and innocent would receive protection 
and be treated witli kindness. Assured of protection 
and kind treatment, she came tremblini^from her hidini]^ 
place, but in a state of nervous excitement enough to 
awake the tenderest sympathies of one's heart. She 
was a timid, delicate little woman, of refined manners 
and evident good family. The depth of her distress 
was increased by the fact that slie was soon to give 
birth to a child, and lier liome liad been made desolate 
by her own negroes, several of whom had threatened 
her life. My efforts to relieve her mind of all apprehen- 
sion of personal danger failed to remove the intense 
nervous excitement under which she was laboring. She 
thanked me, liowever, in the most tender manner for 
my offer of protection, deplored the war that had 
brought this misery upon her, and with tears sealed 
the sincerity of what she said. 

I sent this trembling woman to her home in charge 
of a guard, but it was not the home she left. The ne- 
groes had held high festival in its halls for several 
days, and tlie scene of destruction which everywhere 
met the eye showed how regardless they had been of 
the value of property. 

I could not help feeling how thankful we ought to 
be that our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sis- 
ters, lived beyond this terror of war, where peace reigns. 
And yet the aching head and sorrowing heart of this 
poor woman is as a feather when compared with the 
accumulation of woe war brings on the people into 
whose country it is carried. 



CHAPTER X LI 



ORGAMZATION^ OP NEW AIi:MY CORPS— MARCH TO CUMBERLAND LAND[N'G, 

To insure a better undcrstaDcling between generals, 
to obtain harmony of action, and lessen the influence 
of errors committed by the authorities at Washington, 
in the appointment of corps commanders, General 
McClellan obtained the President's permission to organ- 
ize two new provisional army corps. Franklin's and 
Smith's divisions were formed into the sixth provis- 
ional army corps, under command of General W. B. 
Franklin. Franklin and Smith were old friends, con- 
genial in their political and professional sympathies, 
entertained the highest respect for each other, and were 
likely to get along well together. The divisions of 
Fitz John Porter andSykos, with the reserve artillery, 
was formed into the iiftli provisional army corps, under 
the command of General Porter, in whose military 
ability General McClellan had the highest confidence. 
In regard to this respect and confidence in General 
Porter, I heard more than one general ofSccr say that 
the commanding general's action was governed more 
by personal friendship than correct judgment as to 
what was necessarv for the o-ood of the service. 

111 this fifih provisional corps the regulars were in- 

44^ 



i 



THE STORY OF A THOOPEn. 445 

eluded, and tlio command was regarded as one of pre- 
eminent impoi'lnncc. Now, Fitz Jolm Porter was 
never "comfortable" nnder General Heintzelman, 
whose military ability lie was not inclined to res|)ect 
in such a manner as to insure his orders implicit obe- 
dience. Beside, once in command of this corps, Porter 
could be nearer McClelhan — a position very desirable 
to him. Between him and Sykes, also, there was per- 
fect liarmony of feeling, as there would also be of 
action. 

We struck tents on the morning of the 13th, and 
marched froui the cross-roads to Toller's farm, on which 
Cumberland Landing was located. It w^as a damp, 
foggy morning, the roads were slippery, and the march- 
inir slow and fatiu'uing. The weather cleared n{) about 
twelve o'clock, and a more imposing and grand sight 
cannot be imagined than that of tlic divisions as Ih.ey 
debouched 'down the high hill on which Toller's house 
stood, and spread over the broad plain stretching r.early 
as far ss the eye could reach to the West and South, 
and covered with clover a foot deep, and wheat and rye 
that waved and cavorted willi the wind. But all this 
hne prospect of an abundant harvest vras trampled 
down by the multitude of soldiers, which poured into 
the plain for three hours, then formed in three long, 
glittering lines, with banners flying and bands playing, 
with batteries of artillery and troops of cavalry 
galloping into position on the flanks and centre, the 
whole forming one of those grand and imposing scenes 
rarely seen, and never forgotten. A dark belt of wood 
stretched along the horizon just beyond our outer line, 



446 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

giving a more clear and bold outline to the field. Look- 
ing to the left, in the direction of New Kent Court- 
Ilouse, the plain was dotted with clumpvS of trees, under 
which the white tents began to nestle, in beautiful con- 
trast to tlie deep green foliage. And, too, the soldiers 
hung their tents with wild flowers, for the woods were 
filled with them, and the very air was sweet with their 
perfumes. On the right we had the beautiful river, 
which was narrow here, and curved gently for a dis- 
tance of four miles, its banks, near Toller's house, 
being covered with fine old trees. As the three gun- 
boats, followed by the fleet of transports, swept round 
this bend, their tall masts and dark funnels peering 
above the trees, the effect was magnificent. Cumber- 
land had never seen such a sight before, and the negroes 
ran out and shouted for joy. 

I reached Toller's house about 9 o'clock, having 
passed two divisions on tlie road, and brouglit up a 
company of the provost guard. There was great ex- 
citement at the old jdantation liouse wlicn I got there, 
and the house servants, of which there was a great 
number, of nearly every variety of color, svere in a 
state of mutiny. Toller, a round-shouldered, lean, 
and hard-featured specimen of the Southerner, was a.s 
craven-hearted a creature as it is possible to iind :iny- 
where. He was an arrant rebel ; had laken an active 
part with the men who attempted locan-y Virginia, oat 
of the Union, and had vohuUaniy ;v3iil his slaves so 
work on the ibrtiiications at i^orkio\va and vVilliajns- 
burg, where they had been troaied »virh great craeity. 
He was now as servile as a wii !);)ed oar, and went 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 447 

about offering to do almost anything we wanted, if we 
would only protect him and his property. Very many 
of his tield hands had left him that morning, and I 
ascertained that only a few hours before he had been 
whipping several of them. When rebuked for this, and 
told that he would be put in irons if he did it again, 
he thoudit it verv hard that his authority over his 
property sliould be interfered with. He said, in a sub- 
missive tone, that if he were not master of his slaves, 
his slaves would soon be master of him. I at once took 
such measures as made him comprehend that a different 
order of authority now ruled on his plantation, and 
that he must respect it if he wanted to save his prop- 
erty from total destruction. 

Mrs. Toller was a very different person, and exhib- 
ited much more courage aed independence of spirit. 
After selecting a spot for General Franklin's head- 
quarters, I went to the kitchen to order some break- 
fast cooked. Here a number of the house servants were 
holding a s^ort of indignation meeting, and the sooty 
cook told mc, '' Missus woukVnt let her do nothin for 
us." 1 was anxious to know what all this indignation 
among the colored population meant, and was informed 
that Mrs. T. had, with her own liands, applied the 
lash to two or three of her servants for cooking for 
Union officers that morning. One of the victims was 
an aged, but very spriglitly house servant, the mother 
of a iargc number of bright and intelligent children, 
one of whom, (Miss Jane,) seemed to have t!ie direction 
of every thing about the house, and had a neat and com- 
fuitably furnished cabin of her own. The whole family 



448 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

were indignant at tliis act of cruelty towards tlieir 
mother, and I confess it was with some difficulty I could 
restrain my own feelings, when this old woman showed 
me her neck and shoulders, yet red with the niarks of 
the lash. While assuring them that the like sliould 
not occur again, and endeavoring to quiet their feel- 
ings, this Mrs. Toller appeared among them, the lasii 
still in her hand. 

I rebuked her act of cruelty in severe terms, and 
warned her not to repeat it, or I would not be answer- 
able for the consequences. She very coolly informed 
me that this plantation, and these slaves on it, were 
her private property, and she would not have her au- 
thority interfered with. And this she repeated several 
times, giving a peculiar emphasis to tlie declaration 
that this was her private property ; that our army had 
no right here, and that we must not interfere with her 
slaves. She also, in a broad nasal twang, peculiar to 
Virginia, wanted to know if I was in command of the 
" geuard ;" if I was, she insisted that " a double gcuard" 
be placed on her house and gardens ; also that a 
" geuard" be put over the cabins, to keep " what nig- 
gers there wus left from runnin away." She also 
wanted me to go to General McClellan, and tell him that 
he must get away with his army as quick as he could, 
or there would be a heavy bill of damages for destroy- 
ing her private property. I soon relieved the old 
lady's mind of the idea that her property was sacred, 
and finding no other w^ay of getting rid of her, sent 
her to her house in charge of a guard, who kept her 
out of harm's way for the rest of the day. 



I 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 449 

The negroes were very thankful for this interposition 
in tlicir behalf, and evinced their gratitude in various 
ways. The house servants here formed so strange and 
grotesque a group, that Brady, the celebrated photog- 
rapher, had a picture of them taken and placed in his 
gallery. There was the old African grandmother, of 
lour-score and ten, very black and very taciturn. And 
there were her two daughters; one very dark, the other 
the bright, fat, and kindly woman I have described as 
having undergone the castigation; and her numerous 
])rogeny, of every variety of color, from the darkest 
crispy head to the almost white with flaxen ringlets. 
Miss Jane was her oldest daughter, and directed the 
household affairs with rare smartness and energy. Her 
husband, Henry Armistead, was a very black, but very 
intelligent and worthy man, whose master resided in 
Richmond, and of whom he purchased his time, which 
iie employed fishing and oystering on the York and 
Famunky rivers. About midnight, Henry entered my 
(juarters, laboring under great anxiety of mind. He 
wanted my advice, he said, for he recognized in me a 
fiicnd of his people. He had upwards of eleven hun- 
dred dollars in silver, the fruit of his labor for several 
years, buried in the cellar. He had been saving up 
this money, he said, to purchase the freedom of him- 
self and wife, and now that our army had come, he 
wanted to place it in my liands for safe keeping, while 
liC took his wife and people and fled Nortli. He said 
a man had advised him to jinck \\\) and leave that ni^iit, 
(0 take his money and uo to New York, where he wou'd 
be provided for by !Mr. Iloi'acj Greeley, and live like o 



450 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

prince. Knowing that the coimtiy in. the rear of our 
army was full of stragglers, and the very worst species 
of camp followers, many of whom were robbing the 
poor colored ])CO[)le, who were making their way to 
a place of safety, I advised him to do nothing of 
the kind, but to remain quietly on the plantation, keep 
the possession of his money a secret, and when we had 
taken Richmond, he would be at liberty to go with his 
family and relatives where he pleased. I was of opin- 
ion that neither his condition nor his prospects would 
be improved at the North ; that the time would soon 
come when men of his class could make themselves 
more useful in the South, where they were born and 
reared ; and so I advised him. I have often thought of 
this worthy man and his family, and wondered what 
became of them. 

There was an air of comfort and plenty about the 
cabins of these people, which showed that they had 
been indulged more than is common on Virginia plan- 
tations. Indeed, it was aslonishing to see the number 
of turkeys, pigs, chickens, hams, eggs, bacon, and various 
kinds of vegetables they had to sell us, and how ready 
they were to exchange them for our gold. (We paid 
gold for everything during the campaign on the Penin- 
sula.) I noticed also that ihey were continually bring- 
ing out their last, and yet the reserve stock seemed to 
be without end. In lino, vvc fared sumptuously every 
day while at Toller's plantation, and left his enterpris- 
ing servants quite an amount of our goM. 

Tiie pride of caste was kept up among these servants 
in a manner that was qtiite amusinsj. They spoke of 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 451 

Toller as a very low bred man, and spoke of him with 
an air of contempt, because he was once an overseer 
on the plantation. And the grave offence of Missus in 
marrying her overseer they had neither forgotten nor 
forgiven. They spoke of their old master with feel- 
ings of love and affection ; told us what a fine gentle- 
man he was, and where he was buried, and scouted the 
idea that Toller was to be compared with him. " He 
is'nt nuffin but a low bred man ;" they would say, " 01 
Mas'r was a gentleman." 

We pitched our headquarters near the cabins of 
these people, where we had a fine view of the army 
stretched out over the plain below. About one o'clock, 
and before all the divisions had taken position, a stam- 
pede took place along a considerable portion of the 
front, occasioned in the most singular manner. IMes- 
sengers came galloping up to headquarters, and reported 
that the enemy had turned, was advancing in force, and 
had driven our cavalry back in disorder. The report 
spread with great rapidity, and there was evidently 
considerable excitement along the front. Franklin 
was in the saddle in a trice, and with several members 
of his staff and a portion of the body guard, dashed 
down the hill and across the plain to the front, where 
he soon had his coi-ps in line of battle and prepared for 
the attack. Other generals followed his example, and 
in less tlian an hour a formidable line of battle was 
formed, cutting a half circle, and stretching away 
among clumps of trees on the left, as far as the eye 
could reach. The array was ready and waiting, with 



452 THE STOllY or A TllOOPER* 

guns loaded, skirmishers out, and troopers mounted 
But no enemy came to expend its wrath upon. 

It turned out that Stoneman's cavalry had enG:aGre<l 
the enemy's rear guard just beyond New Kent Court- 
House, when a troop of the Eightli Pennsylvania Caval- 
ry, a regiment that had gained an unenviable reputation 
for the speed it made in getting away from the enemy, 
became alarmed at the serious complexion things were 
assuming, and came scampering down the road at a 
headlong pace, spreading a report that the enemy was 
close at their heels. Indeed, these gallant racers had 
looked neither to the right nor the left, but had urged 
their poor animals on at the very top of their speed, 
and were so frightened and excited tliat it was with 
much difiiculty they could be made to halt and give an 
account of themselves. When it became known that 
the whole army had been stampeded by a few fright- 
ened troopers, and that the enemy wa& not within a 
dozen miles of us, our generals felt somewhat mortified. 

General McClellan came up and established his head- 
quarters just below us during the afternoon, his white 
tents increasing the picturesqueness and martial air oF 
the hill-side. 



i 



CHAPTER XLII. 



THE WHITE HOUSE. 

A cold easterly wind came up on the 14tli, and it 
rained heavily during this and the following day. 

Stonenian had driven the enemy's rear guard to Bal- 
timore Crossings, and Colonel Alexander, with the 
gunboats, had gone up the river, very crooked and 
'intricate above Cumberland Landinc:, and found a li'ood 
channel as far up as the White House, where naviga- 
tion for our fleet ended. A railroad bridge crossed 
the river here, and just above it the channel made a 
Hharp bend and the water became very shoal. The 
enemy had destroyed the bridge, which now stood a 
ma.s of charred timber. It was only live miles from 
Cumberland Landing to White House by land, while 
by water it was nearly fifteen. 

The morning of the 15th was wet and misty. A 
dull gray fog hung over the plain, over the hill, over 
everytliing ; and the figures moving about in it, now 
disappearing and again appearing, had a strange and 
shadowy appearance. We had been told that we had 
the worst piece of road in Virginia to travel over, and 
were up at three o'clock, saddled up and ready to 
move. At four o'clock tents were struck all along the 

453 



454 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

line, and the coliiinu beGfan its silent, muddy marcli. 
It is impossible to conceive anything worse tlian this 
five miles of road was, or a march more fatiguing. 
The road passed over an almost continuous swamp ; 
the corduroy gave way for want of a foundation and 
became a network of loose logs, and the horses sank 
and plunged into the soft clay in a manner that alarmed 
their riders, Infantrv labored and worked, ar tiller v 
stuck every few minutes, horses broke their limbs and 
had to be killed, and headquarters wagons broke down 
in the general wreck. Some of the infantry were ten 
hours getting over the five miles of road, in light 
marching order. Some of the supply trains were 
thirty hours getting over it. 

I started with Captain Pardyand the cavniry guard" 
about five o'clock, and after struQ:i>;linQ: for nearlv four 
hours, and picking most of our way through the woods, 
reached the White House before the head of the 
column debouched into the open fields. About six 
o'clock the rain began to pour down, and continued 
until one, when we were all droncljcd to the very 
skin, and so hungry. Slocum and oLher general 
officers came up, dripping wet, and having given direc- 
tions to the troo[)S wdiere to camp, were glad to accept 
shelter in the dingy cabin of an old negro, the few 
smouldering embers in the great open fireplace afford- 
ing us a little warmth. 

The plantation here was an extensive level plain of 
ricli and productive soil, easy of cultivation, and evi- 
dently under good care. It extended about five miles 
along the bank of the river, and nearly three inland. 



THE STORY OF A TilOOPER. 455 

There were fields of clover a Toot deep, and rye, and 
wheat, and coriijlookinj^^ so bright and healthy, extend- 
ing as far as the eye could reach. Clumps of fine old 
shade trees broke the monotony here and there, while 
broad avenues ran in various directions, fringed with 
willows and cedars. The plantation had belonged to 
the Custis estate, and, like the rest of that property, 
had descended to the Lee family. 

The scenery, as we advanced up the Pamunky, be- 
came more and more beautiful, the plantations more 
extensive and under a higher state of cultivation, and 
the people more wealthy and intelligent. In short, it 
seemed as if our march was through a succession of 
beautiful gardens, on which the eye dwelt with ad- 
mi ration The people, however, were considerably 
alarm :l at first, and approached us with an air of 
timidity. 

Now there was a sort of feudal air about these es- 
tates which remindei me of many parts of the West of 
England. A high ridge extended along the bank of 
the river, whicli was obscured here and there by tall 
trees arid clustering vines, affording delightful shade 
in summer. The Loe house, a small, neat cottage of 
modern style, with gothic windows, pointed gables, 
and little balustrades, stood at the upper end of the 
ridge, overlooking the river, and was surrounded by a 
irreen lawn in which there were" a few shade trees. A 
gravel le<l walk led to tlie front entrance. The grounds 
were small, but laid out with considerable taste. In- 
deed, everything about the cottage was neat and plain. 
Tliere were also ilower and vegetable gardens near by, 



456 THE stohy of a trooper. 

both under good cultivation ; and it was here that we 
had the first strawberries and green peas of the sea- 
son. Then there were extensive fodder yards, barns, 
and cribs, filled to their utmost capacity with wheat, 
corn, and other cereals. Below these there was quite 
a village of negro cabins, stretching along the ridge 
and divided up into classes, with streets running be- 
tween. The many-colored occupants of these cabins 
seemed well provided for and contented. According 
to the Custis will, they would all be free on the Ith of 
July. I conversed with a number of them, found them 
much attached to the place, and quite indifferent about 
changing their conditioa so long as they could be 
made safe against being sold off the plantation. 

On the inside of tliis ridge there was a deep ravine, 
filled with tangle-wood and vines, and a number of 
bubbling springs, giving out a plentiful supply of pure 
cold water. Mrs Lee and her sister, and a few old 
servants, yet remained in the house, and solicited pro- 
tection from us. We at once placed guards over tlie 
house and gardens, and the Quartermaster placed a 
guard over the grain and forage. These were neces- 
sary as a means of preserving the property from use- 
less destruction. We wanted the forage and grain for 
our own use. And as we asserted that our army 
came into the South to protect the people and their 
property, not to burn down their houses and make war 
on defenceless women and children, placing guards 
over this little house and garden seemed to mo per- 
fectly proper. I always found that the bravest officers 
were those who were most kind and generous to the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. ^7 

defenceless. I have noticed also tliat officers wlio were 
always ready to figlit with women for what they would 
say, seldom or never brought tlieir courage on tlie bat- 
tle-field with them. It may bo set down as good phi- 
losophy that a woman's tongue is a weapon against 
which the true soldier has no other defence than love 
and kindness ; and the best way to gain advantage 
over her is to let her talk until the strength of her 
weapon fails. 

These guards, however, afforded the ill-natured a 
subject for controversy and misrepresentation. A 
number of inquisitive Congressmen came down to see 
the Army of the Potomac, but were unwilling to share 
its hardships, and affected to consider their dignity 
insulted because the guards would not let them enter 
the house during a rain storm. As these Congressmen 
did not wear badges on their hats, and possessed noth- 
ing, either mentally or physically, by which a guard 
could distinguish them from ordinary people, and con- 
sidering tliat there were a large number of pickpockets 
and other dou1)tful characters following the army, 
neither the guards nor the General who placed them 
there were to blame for the wetting these gentlemen 
IukI to endure. It was also publicly reported that 
guards were })laccd over the springs, and the soldiers 
compelled to get water from the river. There was not 
a word of truth in this. 0ur headquarters were be- 
tween these springs and the main body of the army, 
and all were free to use them, provided they did not 
pass tlirough our tents. 

Tlie young gcnilemen of the Sanitary Commihsioii 



458 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

coveted the house, and complaints were made because 
ihe_y could not get it for a hospital. The good inten- 
tions of tliese gentlemen were not always advanced 
with good judgment ; for although this house might 
have afforded very pleasant and comfortable accom- 
modations for a number of themselves, it would have 
made a vcrj^ poor hospital, not being capable of ac- 
commodating more than could be provided for in two 
hospital tents. 

It ceased raining about two o'clock, and at four 
General McClellan came up and pitched his headquar- 
ters tents on the lawn in front of the house. We all 
jiad a short supper that night, and slept in our blankets 
on the wet ground. 

A large number of pigs ran loose on the plantation, 
and soon became an object of envy to our soldiers, 
several of whom laid violent hands on them, thereby 
endangering that exact discipline which ruled in the 
army under McClellan, and discovering also an unpar- 
donable want of respect for the orders of General 
Andrew Porter, our Provost-Marshal General. 

I have spoken in the early part of this history of the 
melancholy man in black, who figured in the organiza- 
tion of the 1st New York Lincoln Cavalry. He was 
now a Captain of the regiment, and being exceedingly 
hungry, and not having the fear of certain orders be- 
fore his eyes, paid an old negro two dollars, good and 
lawful currency, for the privilege of sliooting a pig. 
For this grievous military offence the melancholy man 
was placed under arrest, aud confined to his tent, with 
a guard over him, for the space of ten days. It was 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 4<j0 

reported that tlic General wlio ordered tins severe pun- 
ishment of an officer had the pig for supper. The 
melancholy man, I ought to mention, employed his time 
in giving license to his poetical inspirations. Indeed, 
he wrote a number of poems, and })aintcd several 
amusing figures, all illustrating the great military 
offence of killing a pig in an enemy's country. And 
Avhen he had sufficiently repented of his crime, he wrote 
a letter to the Commanding General, setting forth the 
great reform that had taken place in his morals, 
and i)romising that if he were restored his liberty, 
never to slioot another ])ig without a special order 
from the Provost-Marshal General This had the de- 
sired effect, and the melancholy man was welcomed 
back to liberty and his regiment by his brother officers, 
who complimented him on his escape from being tried ])y 
court-martial and shot for killing a pig in an enemy's 
country. 

Keyes and Heintzelman's corps advanced up by New 
Kent Court-IIouse, towards Bottom's bridge. AVe 
remained here until the morning of the 19th, vraiting, 
it was reported, for the command of General McDowell 
from Fredericksburg. " Why don't McDowell move ?" 
was the question asked and discussed from one end of 
our line to the other by officers of all rank. A^arious 
answers were returned, none of them satisfactory. 
General ^IcClellan, wlio had been cheerful and san- 
guine of success up to this time, it was noticed, had 
become nervous and impatient, and at times seemed to 
lack cheerfulness of spirits. liideed, it was no- 
ticed by those accustomed to i-ead his tliouglits in liis 



4G0 THE STOKY OF A TROOPER. 

iimniicr tliat be was laboring under some anxiety of 
mind that Avas fast becoming a burden lie was luiiiblc 
to overcome. The mental struggle was evidently too 
great for the man, and was fast clianu-inir liis resoluie 
nature. 

On the ICtli our fleet of transports came up, and with 
it a swarm of inquisitive Jews and speculating "Yan- 
kees," who commenced trade on the river, and were 
soon carrying on a brisk business with the soldiers. 
The White House plantation soon changed its color 
and character. i^Irs. Lee, not fancying the demonstra- 
tive clmracter of her new visitors, nor the freedom 
they made with her lields, applied to be sent throiigli 
the lines to her husband. Her application was granted 
a few days after, and, with a flag of truce and an escort 
of cavalry, she was delivered outside of our lines, with 
an amount of ceremonv bevond even what ^-allantrv do- 
manded. 

On the 17th, the day being remarkably fine, Capt. 
Baker and myself, of General Franklin's stafi", took a 
troop of the Lincoln Cavalry, with Captain Stearns 
and Lieut. Granger, and proceeded out about five miles; 
then scouted along some by-roads that cut through oak 
forests, the trees forming a beautiful shade for several 
miles. Among other objects of interest visited, was 
the little, quaint old church where it was said Washing- 
ton was married, and where he had worshipped. It was 
a little, old-fashioned brick building, with vines creep- 
ing up its sides, and shade-trees investing it with a mel- 
ancholy air. A pair of rickety old stairs on the out- 
side led to tlie little gallery, which was set apart for 



i 



TIIC SIORY OF A TROOPER. 461 

the nogToos to worship in. There were two rows of 
|)cws on the floor, and little tablets erected to the 
lueinory of various persons, described as distinguished, 
stood bfUween a number of the windows. There, too, 
was the old box pulpit and the sounding-board above, 
and Ihe little altar before which Washington had bowed. 
There was a deserted air about this little old church 
now; but no sacrilegious hand had touched it. In the 
old grave-yard outside, time had left deep finger-marks; 
moss and rank weeds had overgrown the tablets, and 
nearly obliterated their inscriptions. I sauntered 
among them for some time, attempting in vain to read 
a few of them. We permitted the men to dismount, 
and I was pleased to see with what an air of reverence 
they approached and viewed the sacred spot. Some of 
Ihem broke boughs; others gathered wild flov/ers, of 
which there was a great abundance, and brought 
away as meuientoes. While viewing this spot, sancti- 
fied by time and happy associations, I was forcibly re- 
minded of the little old church at Teddington, on 
the Thames. 

Durins: our scout we visited a number of extensive 
and finely-cultivated plantations, and were hospitably 
entertained by the families on several of them. Indeed, 
the people seemed communicative and friendly, conversed 
freely about ar/d regretted the war, several of them 
giving us valuable information concerning the country 
ahead and the condition and strength of the Confede- 
rate army. Among the most friendly of these planters 
was a Doctor ^lacon, who had a large and valuable 
estate near 1'unstall's Station, and raised some of the 



4GJ THE STOnY OF A TIlOOPEr,. 

jinest stock in Virginia. We visited TunstaU's Sta tion, 
wliere our cavalry had a skirmish with the enemy a 
few days before, and where, from a hill just beyond, 
(he enemy's camp fires could be seen at night. We 
also visited the home and plantation of a sly, taciturn 
old man of the name of Tcmpl«, as arrant a rebel as 
was to be found. He invited us into his house, orave 
us milk, and even bread, for which we paid him. lie 
affected to regret the war. When we inquired about 
tlie roads ahead, and the army, he could give us no in- 
formation. In short, one would have supposed, to hear 
him talk, that hehad never heard of the Confederatearmy 
passing that way, and had never been to Richmond. He 
had sent his family and a number of his negroes "away 
into the South'' about a week before, and would have 
gone himself but for fear of losing his property. 
There were a number of intelligent servants about the 
place, and the story they told did not conform to their 
master's. Tlicy told us that he had been one of the 
most active rebels in the neighborhood, had two sons 
and other relatives in t!ie rebel army; that he had 
visited them a few nights before, and until very re- 
cently had permitted his house to be used for the pur- 
pose of secreting arms. On further inquiry we found 
that v/hat these servants told us was true. Temple's 
house stood on a high hill, just beyond TunstaU's Sta- 
tion, from which an extensive view of a fine, Apen 
country was had, with fields of waving wheat stretch- 
ing away in the direction of the Pamunky, as far as 
the eye could reach. We established a signal station 
at the house of this vemrable rebel, and when I again 



THE STOilY OF A TROOPER. 4G3 

visited it, about ton days afterwards, it bore evidcDCC 
of rouirli iisao'C. 

During our ride we frequently came upon squads of 
our own men scourin^: the woods. In one or two in- 
stances we came upon them suddenly, and were very 
near exclianaino: shots with our friends, whom wc mis- 
took for enemies. At one time we met a troop of 
cavalry coming at a gallop down a hill less than half 
a mile from us. A halt was sounded as soon as they 
discovered us. They began to manoeuvre, and, feeling 
sure they were rebels, for their uniforms were gray 
with dust, we formed in line across the road, and threw 
flankers into the field. He whom we mistook for tlio 
enen>y was evidently preparing to make a dash, and 
we as quickly prepared to meet it. One of our men 
suggested that they were equipped with the saddles of 
the Eighth Illinois Cavalry. We stood watching eacii 
other lor a few seconds more. Then, their bugle 
sounded, anal, as it did. Lieutenant Granger ro le forward 
and made a signal, which they recognized. Tiiey w^crc 
a scouting party of the brave Eighth Illinois Cavalry, 
old friends of owrs, whom we greeted with feelings of 
pleasure. Neither of us had seen anjtking of the 
enemy. They, however, had been four miles beyond 
us, and gave a glowing account of the beauty and rich- 
ness of the country. 

There was one thing which particularly impressed- 
me while we were marching up the Peninsula, and 
which I have often recurred to as affording proof of 
the friendly disposition of some of these people: When- 
ever we found the slightest love for the old Union re- 



■1G4 THE sTOiir oy a tiiooper. 

mainiiig, we could get correct information ; and tlie 
people thus friendly disposed toward us all agreed that 
Johnston was only falling back to the Chickahominy 
for a stronger line of defence, and where the whole 
Southern army would be concentrated against us for a 
great battle. They also gave us a minute account of 
the Chickahominy swamps, of the malignant fevers 
prevailing in them during tlie summer, and warned 
us against being caught in them by Johnston. In 
short, they told us that the fevers of these swamps, if 
we remained in them long, would be more effective in 
destroying our army than the enemy's bullets. Many 
of our officers began to regard these stories as mere 
romance, got up to frighten us. But the air of sin- 
cerity with which they were told convinced me that 
(hey were worthy our serious consideration. I re- 
member well how one honest old farmer warned us to 
"keep out them d — d swamps or there'll be an end of 
you." 

^This White House plantation has since been a promi- 
nent feature in the war. I visited it about two weeks 
after the time we first occupied it, and found it trans- 
formed into a city of tents, inhabited by Jews, sutlers, 
and speculators. Streets were laid out and named, 
and lono: lines of tent-shanties, in which a brisk trade 
was carried on, gave a gay and picturesque appear- 
ance to the place. Here a persuasive Jew made his 
bow, and invited you in to buy his cheap clothing and 
his flimsy haberdasliery; there, an enterprising gentle- 
man from Boston had opened a showy establishment, 
and had every tiling the soldier wanted, from a bunch 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 4G5 

of matches to a leathery cheese. Then a respectable- 
looking gentleman from New York invited you in to 
see the extensive stock he was just opening, and intended 
to sell at cost and expenses. He didn't want to make 
a dollar out of the soldier, he was sure he didn't; and 
as for the like of a bottle of good wliiskcy, why he 
always threw that in as a matter of friendship. The 
" Broadway Saloon '"' rivalled with tlie "Philadelphia 
House" in the quantity and quality of the dinner given 
you for a dollar. Both had their female contraband 
waiters, draped in the gayest attire ; both swarmed 
with flies, and steamed with the heat of a furnace. 
Steamboats in the pay of the Government were turned 
into lodging-houses by their enterprising captains, who 
would oblige the traveller with a mattress and a 
blanket for a dollar a night. The good young men of 
the Sanitary Commission had a part of the city set off 
to themselves, and went about in search of the sick 
and hungry, whom they invited to come in and be 
healed. Those gentlemen, I found, were an object of 
dislike to the Jews, who complained that trade was 
seriously damaged by the Sanitary men giving away 
what they had to sell. There, too, was the sleek, in- 
sinuating gentleman, with his dyed beard and mous- 
tache, and his hair so exactly oiled and parted, mov- 
ing about and making the acquaintance of officers, to 
whom he would suggest in a quiet way that there was 
a "little game" going on just beyond tlie Oaks. The 
great feature of this city of camps, however, was the 
vast number of contrabands that had congregated in 
it, of every hue, and the gay colors they were draped 
21 



466 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

in. The energetic Col. Ingalls, whose highest ambition 
was to see the soldiers well provided for, was the great 
presiding genius of this queen city, and managed its 
affairs in a manner that seemed to give satisfaction to 
all. I noticed that he was a great fiivorite with the 
contrabands, for whom he found employment. 

The army had become much encumbered with baggage, 
in consequence of a large number of officers travelling 
with their families and furnitureVas if they liad joined 
the army for the purpose of opening a boarding-house 
as soon as we entered Richmond. General Franklin's 
attention had been called to this subject; and that a 
stop might be put to this improper use of army wagons, 
he ordered an inspection of baggage to be made. An 
order was sent to the several regiments of the divi- 
sion to be got ready for marching. Captains Arnold, 
McMahon, and myself proceeded first to examine 
officers' baggage in the First New York Cavalry, when 
considerable amusement was caused by Major Von 
Flopp, who had appropriated a whole army wagon to 
himself, and had it filled with the most promiscuous 
assortment of furniture ever soldier went to the wars 
with. Here was the venerable rocking chair, bolsters, 
pillows, mattresses, bed-quilts, a lounge, a bath tub, 
and a number of bootjacks; crockery enough for a - 
large family, and a stock of preserved fruits and vege- 
tables that showed the Major had no idea of living on 
the country. Now, Arnold was an officer of the old 
army, and a true soldier, who was content Avith liis 
blanket and the ground for a bed, and travelled with 
a dozen shirt-collars, a towel, pocket-comb, and tooth- 



THE STORY 01? A TROOPER. 467 

brusli for baggage. His remarks as lie directed the 
orderlies to unload the Major's furniture were cx- 
treujel}^ amusing. Nor was it decreased by the air of 
surprise with which the doughty Major witnessed the 
recklessness of the mischievous orderlies as they tossed 
his venerable incumbrances to the ground. 

''Provided for a large family, eh ?" said Arnold. 
"Rocking-chair, eh? feather-beds '11 come next. Intend 
to open a boarding-house when you get to Richmond, 
that's clear." 

" If a field officer can't carry his travelling comforts, 
why, he'd better not go to the war. When a gentle- 
man's going into a country he don't know, it's wisdom 
on his part to go well provided," replied the Major, 
with a polite bow. 

" A man who can't go to the war as a soldier is an 
incumbrance to the army, and had better stay at home," 
returned Arnold, dryly, as he ordered the men to turn 
the traps over to the provost marshal. 

" But, sir," rejoined the Major, rubbing his head, "I 
can prove to you that I am a soldier and a gentleman. 
And I will get you the proof in writing; yes, sir, in 
writing. And as there is no knowing when this war 
will end, or when we leave Richmond when we get into 
it, I take it that he is a wise soldier who travels with 
his furniture." We left the Major declaring that he 
would go and see General McClellan, who was a friend 
of his, and get an order to restore his property. 

It is due to Yon Flopp to say here that he was not 
the only officer who incumbered the army with baggage 



4G8 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

enough to furnish a house. We found one Lieutenant 
Colonel travelling with his wife and three children, 
and to carry his furniture he had a govci-nmcnt vragon 
and four Iiorses, and a private wagon and two. Thus 
incumbered, the Army of the Potomac marched, and 
the men wore deprived of their proper allotment of 
transportation. 



CHAPTER XLIY. 



BTILL MAltCIIING ALONG— WAITING FOR McDOWELL, 

Tlic morning of tlie 19th of May was bright and 
breez3\ Wo w^erc the Sixth corps now, and formed 
tlie right wing of the grand Army of the Potomac. 
Our column was in motion at five o'clock, and our 
morninir march of five miles, to Tunstall's Station, one 
of the most deliglitful. Our line led tlirough a beauti- 
ful open country, with good level roads, now fringed 
with cedars and sweet thorn, now shaded by oahs and 
pines. Birds were making the air melodious with their 
songs, the wild grape was diflusing its delicate perfume, 
and the troops moved along in their happiest mood. 
It did, indeed, seem as if nature were lending her 
brightest charms to make the scene one of enchantment. 

About eight o'clock the troops dcbouclied into the 
open fields, where in many places the clover was a foot 
deep, and again cncainped. We made our headquarters 
at the house of one Bosclia, an arrant rebel, who had 
deserted his ])roperty on our approach, and followed 
tiie fortunes of the Confederate army. A few negroes 
remained in the cabins, gave us milk and baked us hoe- 
cake, and, indeed, bestirred themselves with great 
willingness to assist our servants in preparing break- 

469 



470 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

fast, wliicli we partook of under some trees near the 
house. There was Franklin, and Fitz Jolm Porter, 
and Slocum, and Newton, surrounded by their staffs, 
sitting around these rustic tables, enjoying the liomely 
meal thus prepared. 

About ten o'clock I accompanied Colonel Alexander 
and Captain Baker about five miles beyond our lines, 
to examine the roads and select the next camping 
ground. About twelve o'clock, and as we were return- 
ing, a heavy rain set in, and we stopped at a place 
called Marl Hill, about three and a half miles from our 
camp. There was a little old house a few rods from 
the road; and a little old man with an honest face and 
a welcome smile on his furrowed countenance sat smok- 
ing his pipe in a porch nearly covered with rose and 
honeysuckle vines in full flower. A little white flag 
fluttered at the outer gate, which he rose and hastened 
to open as soon as he saw our intention to enter; and 
the briglit eyes of two pretty girls were seen peeping 
timidly out at us from an upper window. Baker, for 
such was the little old man's name, had a heart over- 
flowing with kindness, and after inviting us into his 
cozy little house, and assuring us of his loyalty, en- 
tertained us with fresh milk and nice warm biscuit. 
Baker was a Philadelphian by birth, but had spent 
most of his life in Bichmond, where he had married 
and raised a family of five daughters and two sons, 
both of T\hom were in the rebel army. 

We got a good deal of valuable and correct infor- 
mation here concerning the roads and the country in 
advance of us, especially that portion of it borderinij 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 4T1 

on tlie Cliickaliominy. Baker's wife was in very deli- 
cate liealtl), and the fear of outrages his family had 
been told our army would commit had so completely 
overcome her that he begged one of us to remain at his 
house to protect his little property and restore confi- 
dence to his family. At the suggestion of Col. Alex- 
ander, I concluded to remain; and when he returned 
to headquarters he sent me four troopers for guards. 
I was now pleasantly domiciled in the little old house 
at Marl Hill. For three days I enjoyed this little old 
man's peaceful home, and never did the sweet spirit of 
friendship run higher. We smoked the pipe of peace 
together under the vine-crowned porch, and he enter- 
tained me with the gossip of the neighborhood, and 
the political sentiments of the people round about. He 
had four pretty daughters at home, and one at school 
in Richmond, and he had brought them up tenderly 
and given them a good education. They spread their 
little table with the nicest of fare, they sang and played 
for me, and they decorated my room with bouquets of 
fi-esli flowers, and filled my button-holes with rosebuds. 
And these little acts of kindness they performed with 
such an air of tenderness and simplicity that the heart 
had no power to resist the influence. We may as well 
acknowledge it : there is no resisting dark, languishing 
eyes when coupled with such acts of kindness; and 
wlien sympathy takes such a turn it merits to be called 
love in its purest form. For myself, I forgot even that 
I had aitempted the soldier, and went romping over the 
fields with these kind-hearted girls, picking strawber- 
ries, gathering wild flowers, and helping them over 



472 THE STORY OF A TROOPLIR. 

fences. I regarded this as a very agreeable way of 
guarding property, and soon found it exceedingly effec- 
tive. This good family was very kind to our 
officers and men while we were on the peninsula; and 
many a weary, hungry, and wounded soldier has 
thanked them for giving him rest and ref]-esliment. 

Our corps and that of Fitz John Porter marched up 
on the morning of the 21st, just as a heavy rain and 
thunder-storm passed over. At one o'clock the misty 
clouds cleared away, and the weather became fine. I 
surrendered this little old man and his family to Colo- 
nel Black, commanding a Pennsylvania regiment, and 
who was afterwards killed at the battle of Gaines's Mill, 
and proceeded in the direction of Cold Harbor. I had 
proceeded about four miles, threading my way through 
what seemed an almost endless train of army wagons, 
and adding to the number of troopers with me by re- 
lieving safeguards along the road, when I came to 
"Parsley's Mill," a quiet, sequestered s])ot, situated 
between two wooded hills. There was the old mill and 
a spacious pond, with a clear running stream below, 
and a bridge that crossed the dam. And near by, on 
the side of a hill, stood a little plain house, with a 
garden and shade trees in front, and a number of cabins 
in the rear. 

On approaching the house I noticed a great number 
of soldiers of the Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania regiment, 
and several officers, congregated in tlie front, and con- 
ducting themselves in a very disgraceful manner. Pigs, 
chickens, geese, turkeys, bacon, were being carried off 
by the men, who, I am sorry to say, were encouraged 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 47 £5 

by the officers present in their work of indiscriminate 
plunder. Some of the men were wantonly destroying 
the gardens and shrubbery ; others were bayoneting 
the little pigs and leaving them on the ground. A 
quartermaster had stripped the place of mules, carriage, 
harness, horses, corn, and, indeed, nearly everything 
he could find — by whose orders T could not find out. 
A number of the men had proceeded to the mill, and 
begun the work of destruction. 

I heard the cries of a woman in the house, and rode 
up quickly to inquire the cause. Mrs. Parsley lay pros- 
trate on a bed, insensible, and in a most distressing con- 
dition. In truth, her cries and beseechings would have 
touched a heart of stone. An aged mother and a faith- 
ful slave woman watched over her, and were making 
ejQforts to restore her to consciousness. Ascertaining 
as well as I could what the cause was, I called up the 
troopers and soon cleared the premises of both officers 
and soldiers, and sent a guard to save the mill, which 
was done after some trouble. It seems that Parsley, 
the owner of the property, was a man of some influ- 
ence in the district, and had held a civil position pre- 
vious to the breaking out of tlie war. lie was now 
Quartermaster of a Virginia regiment in the Confeder- 
ate service; and this, becoming known to the men, 
caused them to break away from all restraint, and, 
indeed, afforded their officers an excuse to encourage 
them in the work of indiscriminate plunder and destruc- 
tion. One of the officers threatened to burn the house 
down over this defenceless woman's head; and it was 
21^ 



474 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the fear that he would carry out his shameful threat 
that caused her distress. 

It seemed to me no part of an officer's duty to make 
war on a defenceless woman; nor did our army come into 
the South to rob hen-roosts and distress the innocent. 
And so I told the men who had encouraged these acts of 
wantonness; and when the excitement was over, and 
reason assumed its proper sway, they were so heartily 
ashamed of what tliey had done, that they apologized 
for it, and offered to pay from their own purses for 
what they had ordered carried away. It was evi- 
dent tliat we should need the mill for our own use ; 
and so it proved, for on the following day instruc- 
tions came to put it in order; and before niglit it was 
running, grinding meal for own troops. I ascertained 
that similar acts of wantonness had been committed at 
houses in the neigliborhood; and on riding about half 
a mile through a piece of woods, came to the house of 
a farmer who professed to have been a " Union man 
througliout," but whose place had been stripped of 
everything he had by this Pennsylvania regiment. 
Pigs, geese, and calves lay about the yard, bayoneted, 
and presenting a sad scene. At the house of a poor 
widow, a short distance beyond, everything in the form 
of food had been carried off or destroyed. Her little 
garden, too, had been despoiled of its shrubbery 
and vegetables. And this was done while the poor 
woman had three of our sick soldiers in her house, 
whom she had nursed with great care and tenderness. 
Entering another house in the nijjht, three soldiers of 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 475 

tlic reL>imeiit I have before named committed outrages 
I gliall not describe here, on two 3'oung, defenceless fe- 
ninlcs. Thus was tlie chapter of wantonness committed 
in th.at neighborhood complete. Measures were taken 
to ferret out the perpetrators of these acts, but I never 
heard that they were brought to justice. 

Mrs. Parsley was an exceedingly kind-hearted and 
sensible woman, who assured me that she had used all 
tlic means in her power to persuade her husband from 
joining the rebels. In her house were two soldiers be- 
longing to a Rhode Island regiment, sick of fever, 
whom slie had taken great care of, and nursed with her 
own hands. One of them, a manly young fellow, was 
very indignant at the manner in which she had been 
treated, and seizing his musket, declared he would soon 
clear the premises of thieves and robbers. But his fe- 
vered brain soon overcame his manly spirit, and he sank 
back on Ids bed exhausted. As several more regi- 
ments and a considerable number of trains w^ere to pass 
during the night, I concluded to remain and protect 
the property, and, if possible, quiet this poor woman's 
fears. The rumbling of army wagons, the steady tramp 
of soldiers, and the minGrlini? of manv voices, were 
heard till through the night. The guards called me 
about one o'clock in the morning, to say that the 15th 
N. Y. Y., ^IcLcod Murphy's regiment of engineers, 
was passing up, and that a number of the men were de- 
stroying tJiC mill. I knew the reputation of this regi- 
ment for good conduct too well to believe that its offi- 
cers would permit tlie wanton destruction of property. 
And on going to the mill I found that although an 



476 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

attempt had been made hj a number of the men to do 
some mischief, tlie officers had checked it immediately 
on comiiiir up. 

The road we were marching on, and running through 
Cold Har])or to Mechanicsville and Richmond, laj 
some eight miles from the Pamnnk}^ river, and ran 
nearly parallel with the railroad from the White House. 
The farms along this road were small, and most of the 
people of what would be considered in Virginia the 
middle and lower classes. Along the bank of the 
Pamunky there was what was called the river road^ 
exceedingly smooth, level, and wide, and shaded at in- 
tervals with fine old elms and oaks. This road ran 
through a rich and trnly beautiful country, with exten- 
sive plantations under the very highest state of culti- 
vation, and planters living in a style of comfort and 
even elegance almost princely. The English thorn 
hedge grew here in gi^eat luxuriance, was extensively 
cultivated, trimmed with great care and taste, and gave 
the landscape a pictnresqneness rarely seen in this 
country. Then there were fine, broad avenues, bordered 
with oaks and elms, their huge brandies embi^cingand 
forming shaded arches, leading from the road to the 
mansions, always located at the distance of a mile or 
so from the highway. I visited several of these man- 
sions, and found them not only spacious, but provided 
with all the modern improvements, and really elegant. 
Those of the brothers Webb I shall long remember, 
since they reminded me of estates I had visited in Eu- 
rope. The Webbs had chapels attached to their man- 
sions, which were of brick and stone, and extensiva 



THE STORY OF A Ti:COPER. 477 

libraries of well selected books; their furniture was of 
that solid and useful kind which we admire for its an- 
tique rather than ornamental character; and the walls of 
their spacious parlors were hung with paintings, many 
of whicli possessed great merit. Tliere was an air of 
refinement and dignity about the manners of these peo- 
ple that gave an irresistible charm to their frank, 
hearty welcome; and you saw at a glance that their 
style of living was such as only the gentleman of cul- 
tivated tastes can enjoy. Before the war these men 
counted their slaves by the score; their stables were of 
the finest description, and filled with horses of the best 
blood; the most celebrated breed of cattle and sheep 
grazed in their fields; and the choicest flowers and 
shrubs grew in their gardens. War had already pro- 
duced a strange change in the scene. Their bondmen 
had gone in pursuit of freedom; their cattle had been 
driven from their fields and butchered without so much 
as their consent being asked; and a more rude and in- 
quisitive people than they had been accustomed to see 
pass tliat way had entered their doors uninvited and 
helped themselves unceremoniously. One of these men 
remarked to me that it was not what our people took 
that he cared for, but the rude way in whicli they helped 
themselves. But he forgot that war has no humanity 
in it, does not wait for bows and ceremony, and cuts 
whatever it touches. 

Tke road over which we had marched connected 
with this river road near Cold Harbor by what is 
called the Old Church road, used afterwards by Stone- 
wall Jackson in his flank movement durino- the battle 



478 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of Gaines's Mill. I here met one of the oddest charac- 
ters on the Peninsula. Ilcr name was Betsy White, 
familiarly known to her neighbors as Aunt Betsy White. 
Aunt Betsy had turned her fortieth summer, was a 
woman of great vigor and strength of mind, 'familiar 
with the political history of Virginia, and could talk 
f\^ster than any woman I ever met before in any part of 
the world. Aunt Betsy was quite well to do in the 
world, as they say in Virginia, owned a considerable 
plantation, and, what is more, managed it herself. 
Another sister, also a maiden, lived with her, but 
seemed to take no part in the management of affairs. 
Several of her best negroes had decided to quit the 
plantation, and had followed our army to become vaga- 
bonds and servants to ofiicers who never paid them. 
Aunt Betsy was much concerned about these negroes, 
and could not clearly understand why it was that we 
should be so anxious to set them free, since they could 
not take care of themselves and were sure to become 
paupers on the hands of the Goyernment. I drank nu- 
merous cups of tea with lier, and enjoyed the hospi- 
tality of her house, but failed to convince her that 
there was any moral difference between owning a 
negro and a horse. Slie congratulated herself, however, 
that those who remained were as true to her as steel, 
and could not be persuaded to leave her. 

I could not get from Aunt Betsy any decided answer 
as to whether she was for or against the Union. Her 
l)olitical morality was just then of a very undecided 
kind. She would prefer to wait and see which side 
whipped. " If your folks whips our folks," she would 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 479 

say, *' tlieii I'll avow my sentiments, and you can pro- 
tect me. But if our folks wliips your folks, and I'd 
said I was Union, then our folks would punish me and 
destroy my property because I did'nt say I was for the 
Confederacy." The question of which side to be loyal 
to kept Aunt Betsy's mind in a continual state of ex- 
citement ; and she was as undecided about it as she 
had all her life been over the question of matrimony. 
Indeed, the question of matrimony had been seriously 
talked over and considered by these maiden ladies for 
many years, but still remained undecided. The ne- 
groes were inclined to have things all their own way, 
and some years there would be a deliciency in the 
crop, which would induce the belief that a master was 
needed on tlie place. But whetlier to introduce him 
through the silken meshes of matrimony or as a mere 
overseer Avas a question not so easily solved. Aunt 
Betsy boasted of having once had an offer from a dis- 
tinguished Englishman, travelling that way. Tlic ob- 
jections to a husband were, first, that it was hard to 
get a good one ; second, tliat liusbands were so liable 
to cliango after you got tliem ; tliird, that a husband 
might want to get possession of tlie estate and squander 
it ; and in that case he would become nothing less than 
an expensive iiicumbrance. As to an overseer, he might 
beat the slaves and abuse his trust, and cost the estate 
more tlian he was worth. With all these doubts per- 
plexing her mind, Aunt Betsy thouglit, perliaps, it were 
better to trust no man, but to manage her own afi^airs 
in lier own way. 

She applied to Captain Boyd, our Provost Marshal, 



480 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and had safeguards placed over her house. These 
safeguards made friends with the negroes, who in- 
formed them that Aunt Betsy liad about fourteen hun- 
dred dollars in gold buried at a certain spot in the 
cellar. This incited the cupidity of the guards, who, 
when night came, put the negroes in their places, and 
proceeding to the cellar, disentombed the shining treas- 
ure. Aunt Betsy discovered her loss early on the fol- 
lowing morning, and great was her excitement. The 
negroes asserted their innocence of all knowledge of it. 
The guards were equally emphatic in their declarations 
of ignorance as to what had become of it. Captain 
Boyd was called in to make an investigation, and in a 
few days succeeded in ferreting out the guilty parties 
and recovering nearly all the money. 



CHAPTER XLY. 



COLD HARBOR— THE CHICKAHOMINY, &C. 

I left Parsley ^s mill grinding meal for our own soldiers, 
and rode to our camp at Cold Harbor, three miles, on the 
morning of the 23d. This place is sometimes called Coal 
Harbor, sometimes Cool Arbor, but more commonly 
Cold Harbor. Franklin's and Fitz John Porter's corps 
were encamped here, in the open fields ; and General 
McClellan had moved his headquarters up to the " Old 
Tavern," about a mile in the rear. The ground here, 
for several miles on our riglit and left, was of a very 
uneven character, full of swampy places, and much of 
it covered by dense wood, through which it was im- 
possible to see any distance. In addition to this, it was 
mucli cut up by ravines, in which ran streams of clear, 
cool water. Through these woods, running in almost 
every direction, was a perfect network of what are 
called blind roads. These roads are very apt to con- 
fuse and bewilder the man not accustomed to travelling 
in the woods. In the event of a battle being fought 
here, these roads could not have failed to confuse and 
mislead the soldier. In short, this ground was the very 
last a skilful general would have selected to fight a 
great battle on ; for unless his troops were manoeuvred 

481 



482 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

by officers who knew these roads perfectly, they would 
be liable to all those accidents which result from con- 
fusion on the field. The position, too, could be easily 
flanked, and the enemy hold strong ground in our front. 

Franklin's headquarters tents were pitched on a 
little hill, and an arbor made of the branches of trees 
built over them, giving them an airy and picturesque 
appearance. Just below these our troop of cavalry 
was encamped, its white tents nestling under a grove 
of tall pines. There were deep, wooded ravines on 
two sides of us, and brooks of clear, cold water rippled 
peacefully over the pebbly bottoms. We had a delight- 
ful shade here, and our camp presented a rustic picture 
worthy of being transferred to canvas. 

Colonel Bartlett, with a regiment of infantry and a 
company of the Lincoln cavalry, made a reconnoissance 
yesterday to Mechanicsville. There seems to have 
been some bad management in the mode of marching. 
No flankers were thrown out, and little or no precau- 
tion taken against surprise. While parsing a piece of 
thick woods, a sergeant and corporal of cavalry were 
shot, the former killed, and the latter badly wounded 
aud taken prisoner. It was at first thought that both 
these men had been killed, and considerable feeling 
was excited against the officer who commanded the 
force. The sergeant's body was afterwards recovered 
and brought into camp, when it was found that after 
being shot his cars had been brutally cut from his head. 
A dull iustrument, or knife, seemed to have been used 
in iHM-form thi^, savage act, wliich excited the deepest 
liidi'nuilio:) amoirr tlie men, witli wliom the sergeant 



I 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 483 

was much beloved. A. few days afterwards we ascer- 
tained that the corporal was a pi'isoiier in the hands of* 
the eiioiny, and that he had been very badly used by 
his caplors while in the vicinity of Mechanic'sville. 

The vreather had been very warm and sultry up to 
one o'clock, when a heavy thunder-storm came up, ac- 
C(jmi)anied with a drenchinii: rain tliat Hooded the 
ground, and made the roads almost impassable. On 
the 24:th our advanced troops had three fights with the 
enemy in as many places. The first at ^Icchanicsville, 
where a small body of our troops, under Colonel Bart- 
lett, after a sharp contest, drove the enemy out of tlie 
town and beyond the Cliickaliominy. Great credit is 
due to Captain Arnold for the admirable manner in 
whicli he posted the artillery, and also directed the 
movements of the infantry. The enemy, ^after being 
driven into t!ie town, used the houses for a cover, and 
in order to dislodge Iiim it became necessary to turn 
the guus on them. Some of them were literally shat- 
tered to pieces ; otliers perforated in a dozen places. 
Every liouse was deserted when we entered. 

Tlie second occurred near New Bridge, about three 
miles from Mcciianicsville. Lieutenant Buwen, of the 
Topograiihical Engineers, was ordered to the Chicka- 
hominy on a reconnoissancc, accompanied by tlic 4t!i 
Michigan vohintcers, (a gallant regiment.) and a squad- 
ron of regular cavalry. About a mile this side of the 
river they encountered a regiment of the enemy's in- 
fantry, strongly posted ; but by a sudden and well- 
directed movement caused it to give way, and then 
drove it back on its supports. The enemy now made 



484 THE STOUY OF A TROOPER. 

a stand and fought stubbornly for nearl}^ two hours, 
when he again gave way and retreated across the 
Chickahominy. Tlio Michigan soldiers fought with 
great bravery in this little fight, and great credit is 
due to Colonel Woodbury for the skilful manner in 
wdiich he handled them. Captain Gordon commanded 
the cavalry, and displayed great bravery and coolness 
in handling it. The enemy left his dead and wounded 
in our hands. About seventy prisoners were captured, 
some of them officers of importance. The enemy sent 
in a flag of truce on the following day, asking permis- 
{rion to bury his dead. His dead had been buried by 
our own men. We permitted him to send in two sur- 
geons to take care of his wounded ; and these gentle- 
men took advantage of the privilege to give vent to 
their pent up hatred of the Federal Government. 

The third was a fight which General Naglce called 
his own. Our left wing, composed of General Ileintzel- 
raan's and General Keyes's corps, had reached the Ciiick- 
ahominy at Bottom's Bridge, and were ready to cross. 
The bridges were all destroyed, but the engineers had 
examined the fords, and v/ith the aid of Captain Custer, 
who first displayed his dasli and gallantry here, found 
them ])racticablc for the crossing of troops. Tliree regi- 
ments were at once |)assed over, with but trifling re- 
sistance, under General Naglce, and advanced on the 
right bank about two miles, to the vicinity of v/hat 
was called tlie Seven Pines. Here he found the ene- 
my's infantry posted in considerable ibrce, and in a 
strong position. He immediately engaged them, and 
after a sharp contest of about an hour, drove them 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 485 

from it and occnpiccl it liimpclf. Tlic licary and rapid 
cannonading lioard in our front, as well as the in- 
distinct crasliing sound of small arms, and at times 
exlending to our right and left, led to tlie report that 
a general engagement was going on ; and we were 
ordered to saddle up and be ready to move at a 
minute's notice. * 

It was a matter of surprise with many of our olS- 
cers tliat the enemy, having such a good position to 
defend, should have offered so little resistance to the 
crossing of our left wing to the right bank of the 
river. But the wily enemy had his reasons for this, 
and, as it afterwards proved, they were wise ones, 
strategically. In short, the little resistance lie offered 
was merely to assist liim in carrying out a deception 
wliich General ^IcClellan fell into with apparent 
blindness. It would indeed be difficult to find a more 
unhealthy or a worse place to get an army into than 
this was. Taking the Seven Pines for a centre, the 
country for several miles round was little more than a 
continuation of swamps and belts of thick jungle, in- 
terspersed with pools of stagnant water, green with 
decaying vegetation, and emitting hialaria of the most 
malignant kind. Indeed, this portion of the country 
was celebrated for nothing but its malignant fevers, 
and the ])eople inhabiting it wore a lean, cadaverous 
look, their faces being the color of smoked parchment. 
Most ol' ihem were of the poorer class, extremely 
ignorant, and lived by cultivating little patches of 
sandy, wet land. In the vicinity of Savage Station, 
and aho the Seven Pines, tiiere were a number of Ion;*;, 



486 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

irregular openings of newly cleared land, for the 
stumps were yet standing. The ground, even w^liere 
it w^as cleared, was soft and spongy, and water was 
found everywhere by digging a foot from the surface. 
Work in the trendies here liad to be carried on with 
the men almost continually up to their knees in water. 
On this ground, with its attendant disadvantages, 
rieintzelman's and Keyes's corps were posted after 
crossing the Chickahominy, with Casey's division in 
an exposed position on tlie advan-ze. And here were 
the unliealtliy and dangerous swamps against which 
the people along the road had so many times warned 
us. Disease here would be quite as eifcctive as the 
enemy's bullets ; and it is clear from what afterwards 
took place that he counted on the one quite as much 
as he did on the other. 

Here also tlie enemy had great advantages of 
ground, for the position we had to take up found 
us facing a high ridge of land, in the direction of Rich- 
mond, and from which we were separated by a belt of 
thick woods, through wdiich our engineers must slash 
and make roads before our artillery could get through. 
The enemy used this belt of woods for a cover for his 
infantry, and had strong works, with heavy guns 
mounted, on the hills above. And it was necessary for 
us to take and hold these hills before we could get 
within shelling distance of the city. I must return 
now to the right wing. 

On the afternoon of the 24th, Captain Boyd and my- 
self rode forward about four miles to select a head- 
quarters foi" General Franklin, nearer the Chicka- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 487 

hominy. About a mile from New Bridge we came to 
an extensive opening of well cultivated lields, stretch- 
ing away to the right and left, and interspersed with 
clumps of scrubby trees. A dark belt of pine wood 
formed a background, and aiTorded the men a delight- 
ful shade during the day. A considerable force of tlie 
infantry had already moved up, their camps spreading 
over the fields on a line with these woods. 

Two comfortable looking houses, nestling among 
sliade trees, stood at some distance from the road, one 
on the right, the other on the left. The former was 
Curtis's, the latter Hogan's, so often referred to during 
our operations on the Chickahominy. We rode up to 
the one on the riglit, when a slender old gentleman, of 
medium height, witli flowing white hair, and a finely 
outlined face, in which kindness and intelligence min- 
gled prominently, came to the gate to meet us. In 
short, he was a fine specimen of the old Virginia gen- 
tleman, and received us with remarkable ease and 
dignity. After inviting us into liis house, he offered 
us sucli hospitality as it afforded. Ilis family had 
all left him and gone South, and lie had only a few 
faithful servants to keep him company, and these 
seemed so much attached to liim and to the i)lace 
that nothing could induce them to leave. He seemed 
mucli pleased when we told him that General Franklin 
would like to make headquarters near his house. 
Not only extending a polite invitation, he insisted that 
the General sliould occupy his house, and make it his 
homo while he remained. Tlie General moved up in 
the evening, but with his natural aversion to occupy- 



488 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ing a house, liad the headquarters tents pitched on the 
lawn, just in front of the house, and between it and the 
garden. 

This old man was Dr. Curtis. He did not conceal 
the fact that his political sympathies, if he liad any, 
were with the South. And yet he answered all our 
questions promptly and kindly, in no w^ay concealed 
his knowledge concerning the country, opened his house 
to us, gave us the free use of his library, sliared the 
products of his farm with us, caused his servants to 
cook for us, and, in fine, did everything in his power 
to make us comfortable. He was in some way con- 
nected with the Tyler family, and told us where sev- 
eral of its members were. He entertained an opinion 
that the presence of a general on his farm would pro- 
tect it from serious injury. In that he was mistaken. 
All the general's liorses and the horses of his staff had 
to be quartered near by. The numerous servants at- 
tached to headquarters were always inclined to mis- 
cliief. The })rovost marshal's troop of cavalry had to 
be picketed near by. The quartermaster parked his 
trains in a field a few rods away. A regiment of cav- 
alry came and encamped near by. In short, the farm 
was surrounded with troops, the pleasing delusion 
vanished, and tlie truth soon became apparent that if 
you wanted your property destroyed rapidly, you had 
only to invite the commander of a corps to make your 
house his headquarters. 

One after another his fences disappeared; his crops 
were destroyed; his fields tramped into mud beds; his 
out-houses went for fuel; his gardens were despoiled of 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 489 

tlicir vegetables; shrubbery, flower and fruit trees were 
broken down, and the work of destruction went on 
until his farm presented a pitiable sight. Our cavalry 
liad carried off his few mules, his favorite cow was 
killed one night, and the calf he was fatting so care- 
fully for our feast disappeared mysteriously. The most 
stringent orders against this work of destruction were 
ineffectual. The old man witnessed these things with 
scarcely a murmur, and never forgot that he was a 
gentleman. But you could at times read in his wan- 
dering eye and sad face the inward sorrow that was 
gnawing at his heart. We remained nearly a month 
at his farm, and left him sick, and sinking under the 
burden of liis troubles. 

We were on the Chickahominy now, and the work 
of building the bridges had begun in earnest. 

On this, the east bank of the Chickahominy, the 
ground is a series of ridges, of considerable height, 
broken by little wooded ravines, in which brooks of 
clear water run. The ridges are crested here and there 
with oak forests, extending from Mechanicsville, the 
highest point, which was nearly three miles north of us, 
and where our right rested, nearly six miles down. A 
number of comfortable looking farmhouses, with lawns 
and gardens attached, stood along the slope at short 
intervals, prominent among which were those of the 
Sidnors, Edward and William; Hogan, and Dr. Gaines, 
on whose plantation the battle of Gaines's Mill was 
fought. These ridges sloped suddenly down into a fiat, 
open meadow, varying from three quarters to a mile 

iind a half wide, separating us from the opposite bank. 

92 



490 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Little hillocks and clumps of shrubVjery met tbe eye 
here and there, and at intervals an irregular line of 
jungle, overtopped with tall trees, marked the course 
of the Chiokahominy, winding through the centre of 
the meadow. Directly opposite Mechanicsville, and 
extending to New Bridge, three miles down, was a high 
and somewhat steep ridge, with little clearings on its 
face, and a number of houses on its crest, seen some- 
what indistinctly through the trees. The enemy had a 
very strong position here, where he could overlook our 
movements, for his ground was much higher. In addi- 
tion to batteries, so constructed as to sweep the bridges, 
he had a number on the crest of the hill, and near the 
different houses. And from these he not only annoyed 
our working parties on the upper bridges, but threw 
shells and round shot into our lines nearly every day, 
some of his guns having a very long range. The 
woods on the top of this hill, or bluff, afforded the ene- 
my an excellent cover for concealing his infantry, while 
the roads up its sides, after crossing the Mechanics- 
ville and New Bridges, wound in an irregular manner, 
exposing a column attempting to charge up to an enfi- 
lading fire. Directly opposite Mechanicsville, and near 
the brow of the hill, there was a cluster of large wooden 
buildings, which had been used for a cocoonery. Near 
this the enemy had a number of earthworks, with, 
heavy guns mounted; and the movein<Mits of his work- 
ing parties were plainly visible to the naked eye. Gen. 
McClellan was in the habit of watching tlic enemy's 
movements at this point from a peach orchard ju t to 
the right of Mechanicsville, and many ofacers expressed 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 491 

surprise that lie permitted liim to erect these works nn- 
molestcd. The enemy did not deal so graciously with 
us, as our engineers can bear testimony. 

And now to the Chickahominy. One of our engi- 
neer officers, when approaching the banks of the stream, 
met another returning from it, and inquired : " What 
of the Chickahominy? What does it amount to?" 
"Amount to!'' replied the officer interrogated; " it is 
a myth. The most insignificant of streams. Why, 
you can wade across it anywhere!'' But this insignifi- 
cant stream, spoken of thus lightly, soon showed us 
that it could be a most capricious giant, baffling and 
setting at defiance all the skill at bridge-building of 
such engineers as Alexander, Woodbury, and Duane. 
In its ordinary summer stage it was indeed an insig- 
nificant stream, dark and sullen, moving sluggishly 
among the roots and trunks of huge trees, their tops 
bending over it in places, and filled with decaying dead 
wood and rank vegetation. But it was afi'ected by the 
slightest rain; and a moderate one would overflow its 
banks, give the meadow the appearance of a lake, and 
so increase the rapidity of its current in the centre as 
to carry away our strongest bridges: The mystery 
which attended the sudden rise and fall of this stream 
never was tliorongld}^ solved by our engineers. It was 
thought by some that the enemy had built dams above, 
so as to inundate the land below at his pleasure. And 
there were some things which gave plausibility to this 
theory, for when a heavy rain had swollen it to its high- 
est point and ceased, itsuddenl}^ subsided to its natural 
bed, and then, without any apparent cause, the waters 



492 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

would come rushing down, again overflowing the mea- 
dow, and sweeping away everything before them. I 
am inclined to the opinion that the peculiar formation 
of the liigli ground bordering the meadow had some- 
thing to do with the sudden effect produced on this 
stream by rain. They were composed of tough clay, 
and the steepness of their slopes caused the rain to 
shed down them with great rapidity, rather than to ab- 
sorb into them. 

Our position here, or rather two positions, it will be 
readily perceived were extremely defective and dan- 
gerous, and were so regarded at the time by at least 
two of our most intelligent generals, whose comments 
on the subject are still fresh in my memory. Our line 
formed a right angle, as nearly as can be described, 
with one side of it (our right) extending irregularly 
from Mechanicsville down over the ridges I have be- 
fore described, a distance of nearly six miles; the other 
(the left) running from tlie opposite bank, at Trent's 
farm, four miles, and resting at or near a thick forest 
of wood just beyond Fair Oaks. These two sides of 
the angle were thus separated by the Chickaliominy 
and the swampy ground intervening, a distance of at 
least three and a half miles. The roads and causeways 
leading over this ground were in an extremely bad 
condition; and in the event of one wing being attacked, 
and needing support from the other, the hazard of get- 
ting troops over in time would be extremely great. 

Besides this, our extreme left was in a very weak 
and exposed position; and the enemy, possessing per- 
fect knowledge of the woods and roads in the vicinity, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 493 

could at any time take advantage of it. Nor was it 
mucli better with our right and rear. Both were ex- 
posed, and if we weakened our line here the enemy 
would be sure to take advantage of it. Franklin had 
the most serious and justly founded apprehensions on 
this subject. And altliough not in the habit of freely 
expressing his opinions on the military situation, I dis- 
tinctly remember how, a few evenings after the battle 
of Fair Oaks, and while sitting round the camp fire on 
Doctor Curtis's lawn, he expressed his mind on the 
subject. He was opposed to the position on the oppo- 
site bank; he was opposed to crowding our troops into 
it. First, because it was a weak position strategi- 
cally; second, because it would endanger the health of 
the troops if held there any length of time. And if 
sickness resulted, despondency and its damaging effects 
must follow. He feared, and also predicted, that if we 
weakened our line on the right we should have the 
enemy on our flank and rear. Future events have 
proved that he was right. He was in favor of keeping 
our right strong, where the ground was high and 
healthy, and where the enemy would be sure to meet 
us for a decisive battle. It was here also that I first 
heard the opinion advanced, and by General Frank- 
lin, that our movements against Richmond, to be suc- 
cessful, should be carried on by two strong armies, 
one operating on the north, the other on the south of 
the city, in the vicinity of Petersburg, where better 
auvaiitngcs vrcre offered for siege works. 



CHAPTER XLYII. 



THE WEATHER, AND ITS EFFECT ON THE SPIRIT OP THE ARMY— THE 
BATTLES OF HANOVER COURT-HOUSE AND FAIR OAKS. 

"We had the railroad from the White House to the 
Chickahominy in full operation on the 25th, and strong 
working parties building the bridges across the river, 
with tlieir intermediate causeways. The weather now 
began to be very capricious. Thunder-storms were of 
almost daily occurrence, and drenching rains fell, soft- 
ening the ground, rendering the roads almost impassa- 
ble, and seriously interfering with our work on the 
bridges. Some of these thunder-storms were the most 
violent; and the people had a superstition that the al- 
most incessant and drenching rains that fell were pro- 
duced by the appearance of so many troops and the 
burning of so much gunpowder. 

We had marched slow, and the whole army had 
waited and wondered why McDowell did not come up, 
and take position on our right. Had he done so Stone- 
wall Jackson would have had little opportunity to make 
the movement he did in the Valley, to alarm and be- 
wilder tlie authorities at Washington, to throw the 
North into a state of excitement, to make timid people 
generally lose their wits, and cause contractors to re- 

491- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 495 

joice; and with a mere handful of men, badly supplied 
and clothed, drive a large and well fed army, whose com- 
mander (General Banks) did not know how to fight, in 
confusion before liim. A report was now circulated 
that the order for General McDowell's march had been 
countermanded at Washington. A feeling of deep dis- 
appointment followed, and the effect of it was seen 
among officers and men alike. There was no one in 
the army who felt this severe blow at the strength of 
our force and development of the plan we were pursu- 
ing more keenly than General McClellan. He was a 
better judge of the necessities of his position than the 
authorities at Washington could possibly be. But no 
arguments he could use seemed to have the slightest 
effect in making them see beyond the fog of their own 
fears. The safety of Washington was the chain that 
fettered and confused their faculties, that carried away 
their reason. Officers near General McClellan, and in 
his confidence, say this news had a very depressing ef 
feet on him — completely changed his very nature. It 
made him undecided, hesitating, and unnecessarily cau- 
tious. The question with him seemed to be, not so 
much how to figlit the army as hov/ to save it. He be- 
lieved, perhaps unwisely, that the saving of the Army 
of tlie Potomac was essential to tlie life of the nation; 
tliat if the Armv of the Potomac were beaten and de- 
stroyed the life of the Republic was at an end. Reports 
from all the sources at our command agreed that the 
enemy had a stronger force than ours in the vicinity of 
Richmond, and was rapidly increasing by reinforce- 
ments from other parts of the Confederacy. And 



496 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

while he was doing this onrs was being weakened in 
ways I have already described. 

Then we got news that Stonewall Jackson was ope- 
rating in the Valley, and driving our forces out of it. 
And this news was confirmed by the New York papers, 
which brought us the additional intelligence that the 
whole North was in a state of excitement, and tliat the 
authorities at Washington had again become so alarmed 
for its safety that the gallant militiamen of New York 
had been called on to come forward and protect it. 
The army alone remained cool and resolute. The fear 
and excitement prevailing at the Nortli and in Wash- 
ington had not the slightest effect upon it. In sliort, 
the troops contemplated this alarm ana excitement, 
tliis hurrying of militiamen to Washington, with ridi- 
cule rather than seriousness. It indeed needed no as- 
tute military mind to discover that this movement of 
Jackson's into the Valley was intended to work on tlie 
fears of the authorities of Washington, which }ie well 
understood, to draw our attention from Richmond, 
and, if possible, cause us to send detachments from and 
weaken the strength of the Army of the Potomac. lie 
in a measure succeeded; but he had only tlie fears of 
our own government to thank for it. Then it was ru- 
mored among ofBcers that a number of despatches had 
been received from Washington; tliat an unpleasant 
controversy was going on between General McCiellan 
iind the Secretary of War, who seemed to have no 
friends in the army. It was rumored, also, that these 
despatclies were more remarkable for tlieir simplicity 
i\v\\\ knowloilge of the field we were operating on, or 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 497 

the military necessities we were surrounded by. In 
short, we had in these despatches anotlier proof that 
the men who are soonest alarmed at the approach of 
an enemy are those who become terribly brave when 
danger disappears. 

' It has been said that you cannot get a man who has 
been imperfectly educated to one profession to thor- 
oughly understand another. We had, indeed, in these 
despatches, an instructive illustration of the amount 
of energy and labor that may be misapplied during 
war by placing in the War Department a man who un- 
derstands the practice of law well enough, but cannot 
comprehend that the business of fighting an army is a 
very different thing. 

On the same day (the 26th) we received information 
that a strong force of the enemy, under General An- 
derson, was in a position on our right, where he could 
either threaten our communications or reinforce Jack- 
son in the Yalley. His position was stated to be in 
the vicinity of Hanover Court-House. But neither in 
relation to his strength, position, or intentions, was the 
information we received reliable. Some of our officers 
were famous for never seeing less than two or three 
rebels, when in reality there was only one. In this in- 
stance General McClellan was led to believe that the 
enemy had at least three divisions of troops, well en- 
trenched in a strong position, and from which we must 
dislodge him, to prevent him from doing us serious 
harm. 

General Fitz John Porter was entrusted with the 
work of moving against tliis force of the enemy and dis- 



498 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

persingliim. His command consisted of some of tlie very 
best troops of the army; and when we say that it com- 
prised his own corps, with the exception of one brigade, 
it will be readily understood that some substantial re- 
sult was expected from it. He moved at daylight on 
the morning of the 2Tth in the following manner : 

Brigadier General Emory commanded the advance, 
composed of two regiments of United States cavalry, 
a battery of regular artillery, and moved slowly along 
the Mechanicsville road, in the direction of Hanover 
Court-House. General Morrell followed within sup- 
porting distance on the same road, with his division, 
composed of three brigades of infantry, commanded 
severally by Generals Buttcrfield, Martindale, and Col. 
]\IcQuade. Berdan's sharpshooters, and three batteries 
of artillery were also attached. And there was added 
to this force a provisional brigade, composed of two 
batteries of artillery, a regiment of Pennsylvania 
cavalry, and the Stii and 13th regiments of New York 
infantry, commanded by Colonel J. K. Warren. 

Colonel Warren moved from his camp near Cold 
Harbor, over a road running parallel with the Paraun- 
ky river, and converging towards the one .on which 
Emory was moving. It was intended to form a junc- 
tion at the railroad, near Hanover Court-House; but 
what sort of a position was to be taken up, and how 
the enemy was to be made to discover himself, and at- 
tacked, was a matter about which the commanding 
general seemed to^ form no very definite idea. It had 
rained steadily all the night previous, the roads were 
in a very bad condition, and the marcli was slow and 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 499 

extremely fatiguing. This was especially so on tlie 
road Warren moved over. In some places bridges 
were destroved and had to be rebuilt; in otliers ob- 
struclions were placed in the road and had to be re- 
moved. Tlie result of this delay was that Warren was 
not up in time. 

Now, in advancing upon the enemy with so heavy a 
force, one would naturally suppose that Gen. Porter 
would have taken up some favorable position, and sent 
out such reconnoitering parties as would have made 
the enemy discover his position and strength. Having 
done tliis, he could have either concentrated, or so dis- 
posed of his whole force as to have attacked the enemy's 
wliolo line, and cut off and captured most of his force. 
Nothing of tlie kind was done; and General Porter 
seems to have been marcliing on at tlie head of his col- 
umn without knowing that he was passing the enemy, 
who was in position on his right, and only anxious to 
get to Richmond, towards which he was retreating from 
Fredericksburg. In other words, he so managed as to 
move across tlie enemy's front, and only became con- 
scious of it when the rear of his column was attacked. 

About 12 o'clock. General Emory, who had been 
joined by two regiments of infantry, reached a fork 
of the road about two miles from Hanover Court- 
House, on the branch leading to which he found the 
enemy formed in line, and in what I have good authority 
for saying, in small force. It was common with us at 
that time to magnify the enemy's strength, and in this 
instance there was no exception to the rule. The ene- 
my was evidently covering his real movements with 



500 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

this small force; and Emory, with his customary cau- 
tion, advanced slowly until reinforced by four regi- 
ments of Bntterfield's brigade. The enemy had four 
pieces of artillery, and opened as we advanced, and to 
which we replied witli well directed aim, disabling one 
of his guns, whicli he was compelled to abandon, and 
subsequently fell into our hands. We lionored this 
achievement with the name of capture. Our infantry 
was now formed in line, and the enemy charged and 
driven from his position in confusion. To tell the hon- 
est truth, there was not much here to charge. Tlie 
troops, too, were composed of Branch's brigade of 
North Carolinians, regarded as the poorest fighting 
troops in the Confederate army. In short, the poor 
North Carolinians broke and ran like so many sheep, 
and were frightened out of their wits at the fierceness 
of our cavalrymen, who had nothing to do but pick 
them up and make prisoners of them. 

Warren's force made its appearance about two 
o'clock, but the little fight had ended, and our troops 
were in hot pursuit of the scattered enemy, llie glory, 
such as it was, could not be shared by his troops, some 
of which were sent to the Pamunky river to feel the 
enemy and destroy bridges, and in performing this duty 
fell upon and captured a number of the enemy's strag- 
glers. The balance of his force was attached to Gen. 
Morrell's command. 

General Martindale, with three regiments of infan- 
try, two pieces of artillery, and a squadron of cavalry, 
procee(hid towards Ashland, over a flat, open country. 
p,nd when near Beake's Station, about five miles 



THE STOHY OF A TROOPER. 501 

from where Emory had attacked the enemy, and on the 
Yirginia Central railroad, found tlie enemy drawn up 
in line, with infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Various 
estimates were made of the force he liad in position 
here. The enemy, however, was not inclined to make 
much resistance, and fell back gradually on Ashland 
as Martindale advanced. Tlie railroad here served as 
a sort of defensive line, and Martindale was ordered 
to move along it with his command, and rejoin the main 
force at or near Hanover Court-House. 1 must liere 
add that by this time one portion of tlie enemy's force 
had slipped past us, and was rapidly moving towards 
Eichmond. Martindale, entertaining " notions" dif- 
ferent from the general in command as to the situation, 
did not obey the order in full, but sent one regiment up 
the railroad — a dangerous proceeding — and remained 
with the balance of his force to guard what lie con- 
sidered an essential point on the rear of the main 
column. 

The enemy had evidently watched our movements 
closer than we had watched his, and seeing Martindale 
send away a portion of his force, made a stand, and 
then advanced to the attack with considerable spirit. 
Onward he came, v>'ith his characteristic cheering and 
yelling; but his onset was gallantly met by the 44th 
New York, (Ellsworth Avengers.) 2d Maine, and 25th 
New York, and two pieces of artillery. This little 
force fought with remarkable bravery for more than 
an hour against superior numbers, almost without or- 
ders or direction from their officers, and unwilling to 
yield an inch of ground. The 44th New York, or at 



502 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

least that portion of it which remained and fought 
under the direction of its Lieutenant Colonel, (Rice,) 
particularly distinguished itself. It is told of this 
brave officer, that he stood encouraging his men in the 
very face of the enemy, the balls flying about him as 
thick as hail; that when his sword had been shot from 
his side, and the standard-bearer twice shot down, sev- 
eral of his men, who had been wounded, gathered about 
him and loaded rifles, which lie discharged as fast as 
handed to him. '' Don't mind me, Colonel — lire away 
at them, " said one poor fellow, who was laying on the 
ground near by, mortally wounded. The colonel of 
this regiment behaved very badly, showing himself ut- 
terly unfit to be called an American soldier. Becoming 
alarmed for his own safety, he led a portion of the 
regiment off the field, and against the protests of the 
men, who returned to it under another officer. The 
censure bestowed upon him b}^ his superior officer was 
mild indeed, when compared with the punishment such 
an act deserved. 

General Porter was nearly six miles from the scene 
of action, and at the head of the column, when news 
reached him that the rear had been attacked by a su- 
perior force, and was struggling to hold its position. 
The sound of cannon had, however, been for more than 
an hour ringing in his ears, without any definite action 
on his part. He now saw the error he had made by 
not properly understanding the enemy's position. His 
whole column had to be faced about, an entire change 
of position made, the force sent in pursuit of the scat- 
tering enemy early in the day recalled. The thought 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 503 

now seemed for tlie first time to strike General Porter 
that a little genera,lsliip was necessar3\ Two rci^i- 
ments of New York infantry, (the 13tli and 14t]i,) witli 
Griffin's battery, were sent direct to Martindale's assist- 
ance, and arrived in time to do good service, for some 
of the troops who had been contending so gallantly 
against the enemy had exhausted their ammunition, and 
were being pressed so hard that it was impossible 
they could hold their ground much longer. Two rcgi> 
ments of McQuade's brigade were sent through a piece 
of forest on the right, to attack the enemy's flank; and 
Butterfield, with another force of infantry, proceeded 
down the railroad, still further to the right. But the 
enemy's line was broken, and we were driving him in 
disorder before the latter reached the scene of action. 
Tt was now four o'clock, and tlie balance of tliis and 
the succeeding day our cavalry were engaged pursuing, 
if such it may be called, the scattered enemy. The 
most curious and instructive feature of this battle was, 
that it was fought without any definite plan. General 
Porter took the wrong road to find the enemy, and was 
surprised tliat his rear, instead of his front, had been 
attacked. It seemed also as if each of his subordinate 
generals, as they became engaged, fancied they were 
attacking the enemy's main force. Indeed, each one 
acted as if it were his business to fight the battle in 
his own way, and receive orders from no one. Bri- 
jrades fouirht without concert of action, and regiments 
without orders; and both retired when they had got 
rid of tlieir ammunition. 

To sum up, truth compels me to say that the battle 



504 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

of Hanover Court-House, measured by the relative 
strength of the forces engaged, was a very lame and 
insignificant affair, scarcely rising to tlie dignity of a 
battle. There were, it is true, many instances of rare 
personal bravery displayed during the day, such as are 
common in every fight; but even these did not relieve 
the sad failure of the whole affair. 

We buried about two hundred of the enemy's dead. 
We captured one abandoned gun and two railroad 
trains, and about seven hundred of the meanest look- 
ing prisoners it is possible to imagine were sent to 
headquarters. We lost about sixty killed, and three 
hundred and forty wounded and missing. I conversed 
with one of the prisoners, a very fine looking and in- 
telligent officer, and from him gathered the following 
facts, which were confirmed by subsequent reports. 
The force which gave General McClcllan so much con- 
cern for his right flank and rear consisted of three bri- 
gades, under the command of General Anderson, who 
had been holding Fredericksburg. Hearing that Mc- 
Dowell was about to advance, and that McClellan was 
sending a force to hold tlie Fredericksburg railroad in 
the vicinity of Hanover Court-House, Anderson began 
falling back as rapidly as possible in the hope of reach- 
ing the defences of Richmond before he was cut off 
or forced to take a circuitous route to the north. He 
had one brigade of North Carolina troops, under Gen- 
eral Branch, on the south side of the railroad, the oth- 
ers on the north, and in that order was falling back, 
more anxious to get safe into Richmond than to attack 
or be attacked by General McClellan. The force Gen- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 505 

era! Porter fell upon was simply Branch's brigade of 
North Carolinians, and the great surprise is that it 
was not captured in a body. Had proper disposition 
of our troops been made, and the force handled with 
anything like skill and forethought, tlie result must 
have been different."^' 

The 29th was a dull, rainy day. The prisoners were 
brought in, and there was considerable excitement 
about headquarters to see them. General McClellan 
had moved up from the Old Tavern, and established 
his headquarters about forty rods north of us, on a hill 
at Curtis's farm. The Chickahominy had overflowed 
its banks, inundated the meadow, and driven our work- 
ing parties from the bridges, which were in great dan- 
ger of being swept away. It was with the utmost dif- 

•'■ Since '.vriting the above I have read General McClellan's re- 
port of the battle of Hanover Court-House. The General makes 
a labored and rather strange effort to make it appear that his friend, 
ritz John Porter, gained two important battles in the vicinity of 
Hanover Court-Housc. It is true, "we were somewhat innocent at 
that time as to what constituted a battle. The intelligent I'cadcr, 
however, will find no difiiculty in estimating the true value of 
"what was really* done at Hanover Court-Housc on the 27th and 
28t)i of Ma3\ Nor will he be misled, after comparing all the facts, 
by General McClellan's efforts to magnify the militarj'' achieve- 
ments of his friend. Indeed, it is to be regretted that an officer, 
iisuall}' so candid, should be led by his attachment for a friend to 
give undue importance to his performances. I may add here, also, 
that the importance which General McClellan attaches to what this 
otiiccr did, and with seeming sinccrit}", was not shared bj^ very many 
of his generals, whose comments at the time are still fresh in my 
nicmor3\ Nor is it at all strange that General McClellan found so 
much difficidty in malcing the authorities at Washington compre- 
hend the great importance of wdiat was done at Hanover Court- 
Ilou.'^o. 



506 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ficulty, also, that supplies could be got across ; and 
great uneasiness was felt for the safety of the trooi)S 
on the other side. Gloom hung over everything that 
day, and fears were expressed on all sides lest the ene- 
my should concentrate his forces and attack while we 
were unable to get reinforcements over. 

The morning of the 3()th came in hot and sultry. 
The roads had been in bad condition for several days; 
and about noon heavy storm clouds rolled up in threaten- 
insr masses, and filled the heavens with darkness. Then 
a fierce wind howled through the forest and over the 
camps, spreading alarm everywhere. A fearful storm 
soon broke upon us in all its fury. Vivid flashes of 
liorhtninf? vaulted aloni? the clouds, filled the heavens 
with a glare of light, then coursed along our batteries 
from one end of the line to the other, until the scene 
became one grand and sublime picture. Now the 
lightning has killed two men in a shelter tent; now a 
battery has been struck and a gun carriage shattered, 
in Porter's corps. Then the thunder crashed and rolled 
fiercely, the animals started and pricked up their ears 
at each flash of lightning, and the roar and violence of 
the storm increased, until the very heavens seemed to 
be rendinor asunder. I had witnessed thunderstorms 
in the tropics, but none of them compared with this. 
A captain of the British army, who accompanied Gent 
eral McClellan during the campaign, and had been 
several years in India, declared he had seen nothing so 
violent as this storm. When night set in the rain fell 
like a deluge, and continued, accompanied by this vio- 
lent thunder and lightning, until nearly morning. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 507 

Trees were uprooted, tents blown down, tlie bridges 
over the Chickaliominy nearly swept away, and tlie 
very earth flooded. Never did the prospect look so 
gloomy for an army. Never did men of stout hearts 
and iron nerves look with more anxiety, witli more 
clianging between hope and fear, to the prospect before 
them. The enemy could not fail to see his opportunity 
and take advantage of it. If he could crush our left 
wing, while there was no hope of getting reinforce- 
ments over, his victory would give new confidence to 
his troops, and be an advantage from which we sliould 
not soon recover. 

" Saturday morning, (the 31st,) was dull and wet. 
The storm liad ceased; but the roads were flooded, the 
woods were weeping, and a pale, gray mist hung over 
and gave a rare freshness to the long belt of forest on 
the opposite side of the river, below Mechanicsville. 
The dark, turbulent waters of the Chickahominy were 
rushing and surging through the meadow, filled witli 
wreckwood from the bridges. All eyes were turned 
instinctively to the other side of the stream, to those 
woods and fields where our almost isolated left wing 
stood. By 9 o'clock the fleecy fog began to lift and 
roll away towards the west, and the houses on the 
opposite hills took a more distinct and clear outline. 

At 10 O'clock the mysterious movement of a column 
of the enemy near one of those houses (Golding's) was 
reported. At fifteen minutes to one o'clock our whole 
camp was startled by the sudden, crashing sound of 
infantry, and the deep roar of cannon. It seemed as 
if twenty tliousand infantry had discharged simulla- 



508 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

neously, and repeated in such rapid succession that it 
were impossible to count the volleys. And this rolling 
and crashing of infantry, and roar of artillery, at once 
indicated the fierceness of the battle that had be2:un. 
Then we heard the long roll beating on the opposite 
hills. 

"As I thought," said General Franklin, who had been 
nearly washed out of his tent during the night, and stood 
contemplating the scene in front of the door; " they have 
attacked us in our weakest point.'' In another minute 
all was bustle and motion at General McClellan's head- 
quarters. Staff officers and orderlies went and came at 
a rapid speed, carrying orders to the various corps com- 
manders, who in turn sent orders to division comman- 
ders, increasing the bustle and excitement. Bugles 
sounded along tlie line, cavalry began saddling up, 
artillerymen harnessed their batteries, infantry pre- 
pared to move, and all with a spirit and quickness 
that proved how anxious they were to proceed to the 
relief of their comrades, now engaged in the terrible 
struggle. At one o'clock General Franklin received 
an order to get his command ready to move at a mo- 
ment's notice. General cheerfulness prevails among 
the men, and the Sixth Corps is soon reported ready 
to move. A similar order was sent to General Sumner, 
who was holding what was called the centre. The 
sound of the enemy's cannon had excited the impatience 
of that sturdy old patriot, and knowing that he was 
wanted on the other side of the river, he had got his 
troops ready lo move when he received tlie order. 
Bottom's bridge^^nd the railroad bridge arc too far 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER." 609 

down the stream to be of any service to us, and the 
roads leading to tliera are in no condition to pass troops 
over. The upper bridges were not finished before the 
flood set in and destroyed their log-ways. The only 
bridges there is any possibility of passing troops over 
are two built by Sumner, one in front of each of his 
divisions. And the lower one of these, it is reported, 
cannot be used without serious loss of life ; the "upper 
has the appearance of a raft of rough logs, half buried 
in mud and water, its centre forging and surging 
to the motion of the rapid stream, and only saved from 
destruction by being fastened and guyed with ropes to 
the roots and trunks of trees. Such were the slender 
means of getting reinforcements over ; such the frail 
thread on which hung the fate of the force engaged in 
this dreadful struggle with the enemy. 

Two o'clock. The water in the meadows has sub- 
sided a little. Tlicre is a lull of a few minutes in the 
battle. The musketry lire is not so rapid, and the can- 
nonading at the extreme left has become desultory on 
our side. Captain Arnold and myself have stood at the 
garden fence, intently listening to the sound of battle 
since it commenced, and tracing its changes. He can 
distinguish the enemy's fire from our own, and his quick, 
experienced ear tells him that all is not going on right 
there with us. He pulls out his watch every few min- 
utes and notes time. " They have driven us some dis- 
tance," lie says ; " unless we get reinforcements over 
it will go hard with us." 

The enemy, with an overwhelming force, under Gen- 
erals Longstreet, D. H. Hill, Huger, and Smith, broke 



510 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

like an avalancbe through the woods in front of Keyes's 
corps, made a sudden and fierce attack upon Casey's 
division, captured the little redoubt in front of it after 
an heroic struggle by its commander, (Col. Bailey,) 
who fell gallantly at his guns. On they swept, captur- 
ing two more batteries; then the rifle pits; tiien taking 
advantage of a gap on the left of the division, they 
attack it both in front and flank, throw it into panic, 
and drive it from its camp in confusion and disorder. 
That's what has happened on the other side of the river, 
and the broken division is just now doing serious harm 
by blocking the roads and filling the woods, and render- 
ing it very difficult for our own troops to force a way 
through them, in order to form a line and make an at- 
tempt to resist the enemy's onset. 

The lull of battle lasted but for a few minutes. It 
has begun again in all its fury. The roll and crasli of 
musketry is even heavier than before, and more inces- 
sant; but the cannonading seems to be all on the ene- 
my's side. The curving and exploding shells can be seen 
distinctly from Hogan's, and also from Doctor Gaines's 
houses. A report has just come in that a column of 
the enemy's troops is distinctly seen on the other side 
of the river, on the liill over New Bridge. General 
Franklin sends Captain Philip, of liis staff, with or- 
ders to General Baldy Smith, whose artillery is posted 
near Hogan's house, to open on this column with liis 
twelve-pounder Parrotts. But the distance is too great, 
and it is found necessary to bring jip the heaviest guns 
of the reserve artillery. A few well directed shells 
accelerates their movements. There is also another 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 511 

force of the enemy beyond range of our guns, on tlie 
hill. The enemy evidently intends this force as a dis- 
guise. Some of our officers think he intends to use it 
to dispute our attempt to cross reinforcements. There 
is considerable difference of opinion as to what liis in- 
tentions are. Some of our officers are of the opinion 
that this attack on our left is merely a feint to cover 
his real movement, which is to cross over on the upper 
bridges and turn our right. Orders are sent to Me- 
chanicsville, enjoining extra vigilance on the officers in 
command there. But the enemy has no such intentions. 
He has concentrated nearly his whole force on that 
portion of our army across the river, and in the belief 
that we cannot get reinforcements over, intends to 
sweep round its riglit, cut it off from the bridges, and 
crush it if he can. Our officers at Mcchanicsville, on 
the other hand, are impatient to cross over, storm the 
works on the opposite hills, and take the enemy in 
flank and rear while fighting us at Fair Oaks. General 
Slocum and Colonel Torbert are particularly anxious 
to make the attempt, and believe that all that is neces- 
sary to insure success is a bold and resolute movement. 
They understand the enemy's skill at keeping up ap- 
pearances, and assert that the force he has at the points 
opposite Mcchanicsville and Meadow Bridge is a weak 
one, intended only as a scare. But General McClellan 
hesitates, fears the sacrifice of life which it may entail, 
and finally refuses to order the movement. Very likely 
he has better means of knowing the enemy's strength 
in front of his right wing tlian either General Slocum or 
Colonel Torbeit. He refuses to order the movement* 



512 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

and it is very clear does not share their opinions as to 
what can be done. 

The roar of battle continues. Generals Ke3^es and 
Naglee have displayed <2^reat gallantry in trying to rally 
some portions of Casey's routed division, and have par- 
tially succeeded in getting two or three regiments to 
make a stand. But the enemy's onset is irresistible, 
and they again give way. Couch's division, having 
forced its way through Casey's disordered troops, has 
got into position, and is fighting with desperate valor. 
But it is evident that they cannot stand long before 
such 'an overwhelming force as tlie enemy is bringing 
against them, fighting with the fierceness of demons. 
General Keyes has sent a request for reinforcements 
to General Heintzelman. It is a few minutes after two 
o'clock when the officer starts with the order, but an 
unaccountable delay was caused, and it is rumored that 
there is a misunderstanding between Generals Heint- 
zelman and Keyes, (about rank,) which is doing us seri- 
ous injury. Let us, however, pass over that in silence, 
and leave the reader to infer what the difficulty was 
when he is told tlia,t orders were not sent to Generals 
Kearney and Hooker to move until twenty minutes to 
three o'clock. During tliis delay, when minutes seem 
like liours to the men engaged in such a struggle, some 
of the troops of Couch's division were fighting like 
heroes and falling dead in heaps, while most of Casey's 
men were scattered and skulking in the woods. 

Now a rumor is circulated from camp to camp that 
llio bridges are all gone, and Samner cannot get across. 
This is rollowcd by tlio inost intense excitement; but it 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 513 

seems to make the troops only tlie more anxious to get 
to tlic assistance of their struggling comrades. 

It is curious to listen to the many suggestions that are 
made by staff officers at headquarters as to how troops 
can be got across the Chickahominy. One suggests 
that there is a large amount of lumber at Dispatch 
Station, which can be got to the river and made into 
rafts to carry the troops over. He forgets that five 
battles might be fought while he was getting the lum- 
ber to the river. Another, a better judge of poetry 
than war, is sure that rope bridges might be made, and 
the soldiers got across after the manner of landin^: pas- 
sengers from a stranded ship. These weak and im- 
practicable suggestions were the best proof of how 
unequal these young gentlemen of the staff are to the 
emergency. 

Parts of a pontoon train stood in afield near by, but 
either it was forgotten, or nobody knew what to do 
witli it, for there it remained until nearly night, when 
it was moved off in the direction of the river. 

General Franklin has gone over to General McClel- 
lan's headquarters, where the telegraph is in operation, 
bringing somewhat confused despatches from the scene 
of battle. They bring enough, however, to tell the 
story that we are being badly cut up over there ; that 
some of our men are fighting with great steadiness and 
courage, but are being pressed back, and need help, 
which Heintzelman does not send. McCIellan, Fitz 
John Porter, and Franklin ride to a point on the bank 
of the river, where they can get but an imperfect view 
of what is going on in that long belt of woods on the 
23 



514 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

opposite side. " I must go to Sumner," sa3-s McClel- 
lan, and turning to Franklin, directs him to go to 
headquarters and tal^^e command. In a few minutes 
more he is plunging through the mud and water, on his 
way to Sumner and the battle-field, followed by Sweit- 
zer, Colburn, one of the French princes, and a few 
orderlies. That little, fair-haired man, dressed in a 
shabby blue blouse, and with the old, farmer-like hat 
on his head, and whom no stranger would take for the 
General-in-Chief, feels that the fate of a great nation 
is in his hands, and hastens to throw his personal influ- 
ences into the conflict that is to decide it. He has not 
only a fierce and strong enemy to fight, but the ele- 
ments are all against him. 

At three o'clock, the battle still raging in all its 
fury, a scene of deep interest might have been witnessed 
near the log-way approach to Sumner's upper bridge. 
There stood Sedgwick's division, drawn up in line, 
ready to cross, in liglit marching order. A group of 
officers, with serious, thoughtful countenances, and be- 
spattered with mud from head to foot, stand discussing 
as to whether it is safe to trust the troops on so frail 
and apparently unsafe a structure. Generals Sumner, 
Sedgwick, Richardson, and Colonel Alexander, of tlie 
engineers, form the prominent figures of the group, 
which is afterwards joined by General McClellan, and 
a number of his aids. Generals Sumner and Sedgwick 
are impatient to make the attempt; the engineers are 
of opinion that the column cannot be crossed with- 
out serious loss of life. But the fierceness of tlie battle 
seems to have suddenly increased, and this hastens a 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 615 

decision. The column is got in motion and moves to 
the log-way with a quick step, as officers of the group 
watch with breathless anxiety the effect it will have on 
this loose and swinging structure. Doubt and anx- 
iety soon changes into a feeling of joy. It is found 
that the weight of the advancing column presses the 
loose timbers down, fastens them as it were to the 
stumps and mud, and, indeed, increases the strength 
and solidity of the swinging mass. A half suppressed 
cheer now relieves many a heart of its burden. Never 
before did an army cross a stream under such dishearten- 
ing circumstances. For two hours that gallant division, 
its brave commander setting it a noble example, strug- 
gled over the uneven bridge bed, and through the water, 
and at last gained the opposite bank, almost in range 
of the enemy's frowning batteries. It was another 
proof of what stout hearts and men earnest in the 
cause of their country could do. But there is no hesi- 
tating where men like Sumner and Sedgwick lead. 
May their names never be forgotten by their country- 
men for the deeds of valor they liave performed on this 
day of our tribulation. 

Richardson has made an attempt to cross his division 
at the lower bridge, but so much has it been damaged 
by the flood, that he has succeeded in getting only a bri- 
gade across. He has had to move the other two to the 
bridge where Sedgwick crossed, has reached it at five 
o'clock, and is waiting his opportunity. 

Two-thirds of the field on which this fierce contest 
is being waged is dense forest ; the other is composed 
of a scries of barren and irregular openings, full of 



516 THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 

stumps and quicksands, through which it is next to im- 
possible to move cannon. These clearings extend from 
the Chickahominy to White Oak Swamp, in a south- 
westwardly direction. Two- thirds of the troops are 
probably figliting in dense woods, and it is impossible 
to tell at one end of the line what the other is doin^. 
A railroad cuts obliquely through the centre of these 
clearings, and forms a sort of dividing line between the 
two armies. 

It is three o'clock now, and still the battle rages in 
all its fury. A dense cloud of smoke hangs like a fu- 
neral pall over the woods to the south and west of us, 
and distant thunder mingles its echoes with the peal of 
cannon and the roll of musketry. 

The wildest of rumors now come to us from tlie field, 
and are circulated from camp to camp. Colonel Bai- 
ley, Major Von Yalkenburg, and Adjutant Ramsey are 
reported killed wliile gallantly working their guns. 
Casey's division is reported to liave broken and run in 
the most cowardly manner, and to have been cut down 
by scores by the pursuing enemy. Then we liave a 
report that Casey has been mortally wounded, and is 
a prisoner in the enemy's hands. A few minutes more 
and this report is changed for another, which increases 
the excitement still more. This time Keyes died a 
prisoner in the enemy's hands, and Casey is safe but 
badly wounded. Half an hour, and we receive news 
from headquarters that there is no trutli in either of 
these reports. Casey's division is a disordered mob, 
scattered through tlie woods, and cannot be rallied ; 
but Couch's division is fighting well, and on some other 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 517 

portions of the line the troops are behaving with great 
steadiness and determination. We have proof now 
that it is not tlie number of men you bring into the 
field, but the quality of their discipline that gives effi- 
ciency and strength to an army. There was a lament- 
able lack of discipline in some portions of Casey^s 
division, noticed frequently on its march up the Penin- 
sula. Many of the officers seemed to be as innocent of 
all knowledge of their duties as the men were unwil- 
ling to obey them. During the battle it is reported 
that these officers have actually set a bad example to 
their men. Further, one brigade commander was 
nearly deserted by his staff officers, two of whom never 
returned to the field. 

Our supply of rations on the other side is very short, 
and now there is no means of getting supply trains 
over, except by the long and tedious route to Bottom's 
Bridge. Nor are we any better off as regards medical 
stores and means of taking care of the wounded. 

Ilalf-past three. Although our troops are making a 
desperate struggle to hold their ground, they are being 
pressed slowly back, as we can distinctly trace by the 
sound of the guns. The enemy, too, is seen moving an 
immense column down past Gelding's house. With 
this he intends to get on our right and rear, cut us off 
from our communications with the river, and then he 
can crush or capture our whole force at his pleasure. 
The question is, will Sumner be up in time to meet this 
force, hold it in check, and thwart the designs of the 
rebel general ? His men are exerting every nerve, but 
Lis movements are somewhat delayed by a battery of 



518 TUE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Napoieon guns, wliicli he is struggling to get through 
the mud to the front. His only guide to the scene of 
battle is the sound of the guns, which are telling him 
where he is wanted, and are the only orders he needs 
to hasten forward. 

Another and smaller column has pushed across the 
railroad, to get on General Couch's right, and turn 
it. Couch, with four regiments of infantry, meets this 
column, and some desperate fighting follows; tlie enemy 
makes repeated charges, but is repulsed ; and although 
we contest every inch of ground with great tenacity, 
sheer exhaustion compels our troops to fall gradually 
back. The enemy, who continually relieves his ex- 
hausted troops with fresh ones, now presses between 
this small force and the right of the division ; and 
Couch, understanding that Sumner is coming up, falls 
back in the direction of the bridge he is expected to 
cross on. 

Half-past four. The roar of battle has increased 
ratlier than diminished, and the very air is pregnant ol 
gunpowder. A sudden turn in our favor seems to have 
taken place. The roll of musketry has become more 
fierce, rapid, and terrible than at any time during the 
day. We have also got more cannon into position, for 
the roar becomes incessant, and almost deafening. If 
we could look over the field now we should see that 
Kearney had come up with his brigades of that division 
(Berry's and Jameson's) which fought so gallantly at 
Williamsburg. There these troops stand, just in front 
of a belt of woods near the Seven Pines, in and beyond 
which the enemy is posted in deep, dark masses, and 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 519 

deliver their vollies with the rapidity and steadiness of 
veterans, cutting deep furrows in tlic enemy's lines, 
causing his ranks to waver, and his dead and wounded 
to lay in heaps on the ground. The field is dotted 
everywhere with little pools of blood. Kearney throws 
himself into the very thickest of the fight, rides up and 
down the line, cap in hand, everywhere talking to and 
encouraging his troops, and exerting over them that 
wonderful influence no one can understand but those 
who witness it. The rebels see him, recognize him, call 
him " the one-armed devil," and their sharpshooters 
level on him. But he escapes unharmed. He repulses 
some of the enemy's fiercest attacks with Jameson's 
brigade, and then there follows some desperate charging 
and countercharging between his brave Irish troops 
and a brigade of rebels, who exhibit great stubbornness 
in holding a piece of woods in his front. Berry, with 
his brigade, has been sent to tlie left, to try and turn 
the enemy's position; and executing the movement with 
great skill and quickness, has effected his object. The 
enemy, seeing the danger he is in, attempts to recover 
from it and the havoc made in his ranks by the cross 
fire, changes front on the right of his line, and witli an 
overwhelming force attempts to drive us from our posi- 
tion. For more than an hour he makes charge after 
charge, hurling his troops against us in solid masses, 
and figliting more like demons than men. Each charge 
is met and repulsed with terrible slaughter, until the 
enemy's dead are piled up in lieaps before tlie rifle pits, 
presenting a sad and ghastly picture. There tlic little 
brigade has stood as immovable as a wall of granite, 



520 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

battling for tlie life of the republic, wliicli an heroic 
impulse tells ever}^ man he is bound to defend. Tliere 
is no faltering, but their ranks are fast being thinned, 
and their dead and wounded are covering the ground. 
The enemy, too, has brought fresh troops on the field, 
and a movement he has made to get on the right and cut 
Berry off has been partially successful. It is also clear, 
from his great superiority of force, that the little bri- 
gade cannot stand these furious attacks much longer. 
The order is given to fall back, which is executed in 
good order. * 

But Berry and his brigade are cut off, and an hour 
later there is a rumor in circulation that the whole 
force has been captured by the enemy, who has cut us 
off from the bridges. Berry, however, fell back in the 
direction of White Oak Swamp, made a circuitous 
march through the dense forest, and brought his brigade 
safely in a little after dark. 

It is now a quarter of six. The most desperate fight- 
ing has been going on on various parts of the line, and 
the fate of the day is to be decided by Sumner. lie is 
up at the right time, and in the right place, and. has got 
his one battery to the front. He has struck the head 
of that heavy column that was seen winding down past 
Gelding's house, intending to cut us off from our com- 
munications and crush us. He takes it in flank, and 
opening his battery at short range, with a rapidity that 
lias never been surpassed, pours such deadly voUics of 
grape and canister into the enemy's ranks as make them 
stagger and reel, and for a time exhibit some confusion. 

Sumner here formed a connection with Couch, at the 



THE STORY OF A THOOPER. 521 

point to wliicli lie had fallen back; and the enemy, re- 
forming his line of battle, comes on like an avalanche, 
making effort after effort to pierce our lines and drive 
us back, to be as often repulsed with fearful slaughter. 
The recklessness of life here displayed by the enemy 
cannot be described. Rushing on, as if determined to 
capture the battery that is doing such deadly work on 
his ranks, our men wait until he gets within a few rods, 
and even yards of them, tlaen deliver their vollies with 
such deliberate aim as to sweep great gaps in their 
ranks, which fill with dead and wounded. He staggers, 
hesitates, and falls back, while our second and third 
lines of infantry, firing over the first, pour in their vol- 
lies witli terrible effect. But the effect of the repulse 
lasts but for a minute. Again the enemy is seen to 
gather new strength, and his troops, encouraged by 
their officers, who place themselves at thdr head, come 
surging on in dark masses, and with fearful impetuosity. 
Again great swaths are cut through their ranks and 
filled with human bodies; again they are repulsed, and 
a number of them throw up their arms in token of sur- 
render. The fighting is now chiefly on the right, and 
between those forces which have fought with the des- 
perate stubbornness I have described, for more than 
an hour. It does, indeed, seem as if both must soon 
give out from sheer exhaustion. But the enemy has 
evidently got the worst of it, and the time has come 
for us to show him that we can be as effective in charg- 
ing his lines as we have been cool while repelling Isis 
assaults. The 15th and 20th Massachusetts, the 34tli 
and 8 2d New York, and the 7th Michigan regiments, 
23* 



522 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

troops that have made themselves famous at Williams- 
burg, are ordered up, and charge with tlie bayonet. 
It is a thrilling sight to see witli what alacrity the 
men move to execute the order ; with wliat irresistible 
force they spring to their work, charge into and break 
the enemy^s lines. He could not stand that long line 
of glittering steel, and is driven from the field, and 
into the dark belt of woods beyond. The enemy made 
a fatal mistake in that movement; he sees his error, 
but it is too late to repair it. 

It is night now, and the roar of battle ceases as if 
by mutual consent. No pen can describe the agonies 
of that battle-field during this fearful night. Thou- 
sands of the dead of both armies, sometimes mingled 
promiscuously, are scattered over the wet ground for a 
distance of four miles. The groans and cries of the 
wounded and* dying are heard in every clump of trees, 
where they have crawled to breathe their last breatli, 
without a sympathizing voice to whisper a prayer for 
them, or a kind hand to bring water to moisten tlieir 
parched lips. Nourishment is not to be had; medical 
attendance is not a tithe of what it should be, and the 
darkness of the night, and the uncertainty as to where 
these sufferers are to be found, makes their condition 
doubly hopeless. Some of these sufferers are found iu 
the woods, and by little streams, where they have 
crawled, some to quench their thirst, others to find a 
peaceful last resting place, two and even three days 
after the battle still giving out signs of life. And two 
or three remarkable instances are recorded wliore the 
sufferers were restored, by careful nursing, to uerfect 
health. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 523 

It is while witnessing these terrible scenes of suffer- 
ing on the part of our fellows that the mind revolts, 
and we instinctively ask who it was that brought this 
scourge of war on a happy people ? what selfish ends 
did they expect to gain by it? and why does not a just 
Providence mete out to them the punishment their 
crimes merit ? Must sin forever be costly of human 
life ; must ambition forever demand its Moloch of 
blood ; and must a great nation be made thus to bleed 
and suffer, that a few ambitious men may destroy one 
government and build up anotlier, with human bondage 
for its foundation ? Let it not be said that all these 
tears, tliese agonies, and death ; that all this woe, sor- 
row, broken hearts, and blighted hopes, shall have gone 
for nothing, and that human bondage, in any form 
whatever, still exists to shame us for our sins when this 
war is over ! 

It is said that Mr. Jefferson Davis and several mem- 
bers of his cabinet were on the field during the battle, 
encouraging the rebel hosts, and a witness of the terri- 
ble carnage. This is said to be the secret of their des- 
perate fighting. It is also reported that General John- 
son lias been mortally wounded and carried from the 
field. 

It is ten o'clock. The night is exceedingly dark. 
Good news comes to us of Sumner, Sedgwick, and 
Kearney. Their praises are on every tongue ; the 
deeds of valor they have performed are passed from 
camp to camp, and the private soldier vies with his offi- 
cers in doing them honor until long past midnight. But 
the rain begins to fall again ; thunder echoes and rum.- 



524 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

bles along the heavens, and vivid lightning vaults along 
the distant horizon in the south. Richardson, with the 
second division of Sumner's corps, is still struggling to 
cross the frail bridge. It is nearly twelve o'clock when 
his rear guard gets safely over. And here a strange 
phenomenon occurs in the river. The water, which 
had partially subsided during the afternoon, suddenly 
comes rushing down as if some great floodgate had 
been opened above, rises twenty inches in a little less 
than two hours, and running like a torrent at the cen- 
tre, sweeps away what remains of the bridges. All 
hope of getting over more troops is at an end now. 
The separation between our right and left is complete. 

Both armies lay on their arms all night. In some 
places the pickets are within speaking distance of each 
other. But McClellan is over there with the troops, 
and his presence has had an electrical effect on tliem. It 
has given them new hope, new courage, and more con- 
fidence in themselves. His name is like a magic spell 
with the soldier, who waits for the dawn of morning, 
thinking only of the fight that is to be renewed. 
Hooker, too, has come up with his gallant division ; 
some of Casey's stragglers have been got together; 
new dispositions are being made of the troops ; a bet- 
ter and more compact line will be formed, and more 
concert of action secured between the different parts 
of the field. 

There, in the grey dawn of that damp Sunday morn- 
ing, (1st of June, 1862,) stands the long line of patriot 
soldiers, half concealed by the dense forest. Couch's 
division and a few of Casey's straggling regiments are 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 525 

near an open field on the extreme left ; next comes 
Kearney, on its right, occupying a series of rifle-pits, 
and just east of a clump of tall trees called the Seven 
Pines. On Kearney's right, and a little in the rear, 
stands Hooker, ready to support Kearney. Then came 
Eichardson, with Howard's, and French's, and 
Meagher's Irish brigade, one crossing the railroad 
and the others posted in the rear, ready to support. 
On the extreme right stands Sedgwick and the regi- 
ments of Couch's tliat fought with him on the after- 
noon before, holding about the same position they 
did when the battle ended. It is soft, swampy ground 
where they stand, and on a large portion of their front, 
as well as to the right, it is covered with thick under- 
wood and fallen trees. The ground is terribly plough- 
ed up in places by the shot and shell; and the charges 
and the counter charges that were made over it yester- 
day have churned it into a bog. It requires the very 
highest order of military genius to handle troops 
successfully on such a field as this. A number of bat- 
teries have been got to the front during the niglit and 
are in position now, but the prospect of moving them 
either one way or tlie other, or handling them with 
any celerity, is slender indeed. It is evident that if 
the enemy attacks us the struggle will have to be de- 
cided with infantry. 

Opposite us, and entirely concealed by the thick 
woods, stands the forces of Hill, Magruder, Longstrcet, 
Smith, and Anderson. It is reported, too, tliat new 
troops have been brought up and massed on the enc- 
jny's extreme left, in front of Sumner. 



52(J THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

The enemy does not keep us in suspense lono- as to 
his intentions. Precisely at ten minutes to five the 
sound of cannon announces that the battle has begun. 
A thin line of the enemy's cavalry, as if feeling our 
position, appear on the edge of the wood, in front of 
Richardson. Pettit's battery has dropped a few shells 
in among them, and they disappear like shadowy fig- 
ures. Richardson now manoeuvres his troops so as to 
close up the gap between his left and Kearney's right. 
Suddenly, the enemy, in dark, rolling masses, breaks 
from the woods, and more in the condition of a mob 
than a column of soldiers held well in hand, opens a 
terrible fire of musketry, and pours in volley after vol- 
ley, at short range, and with the most deadly efi'ect. 
It is evidently intended to shake our centre. But 
there is no wavering in the ranks. Our troops stand 
cool and determined, and return volley for volley, 
making terrible havoc in their ranks. We see their 
killed fall by scores, and tlieir wounded by hundreds 
carried from the field. But this does not abate his de- 
termination. The heaviest of his force is now thrown 
against a position held by General French, and he seems 
determined to cut it and break our lines. For more 
than an hour this little brigade receives the shock, but 
stands as firm as a stone wall, until nearly a fourth of 
its number has been killed or wounded. The enemy, 
too, has got some artillery up, and the shell and round 
shot are ploughing up the ground in every direction. 
General Howard, at the head of his brigade, moves up 
to the support of French, and the struggle increases 
iii fury and extends all along Richardson's front. Never 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 527 

did troops beliave with more coolness and steadiness 
tlianours. The enemy figlits fiercely but spasmodically. 
His troops are not handled with the regularity and or- 
der that they were yesterday. A different head directs 
their movements. Our troops are everywhere inspired 
with new courage by the mere knowledge that General 
McClellan is on the field directing tlie battle. 

Eight o'clock. The enemy has spent his force on 
this position, finds that he can neither shake nor drive 
French and Howard from it, and gradually falls back 
all along Ricliardson's front. It is Hooker and Kear- 
ney's turn to fight now ; and we already know that 
wherever they had the fighting to do it was sure to be 
earnest and desperate. Hooker, further to the left, has 
moved forward to the extreme front with two regi- 
ments of New Jersey troops, (always reliable,) the 
Excelsior brigade, under Sickles, in the rear. Here 
he finds Birney's brigade, in command of Colonel Ho- 
bert Ward, drawn up in order of battle, and the enemy 
in his front in heavy force. He sends back for Sickles 
to hasten forward, for that gallant brigade never fails 
him. But Sickles has been halted and sent through 
the woods to the extreme left, by order of General 
Heintzelman, to meet a heavy column that has been 
discovered advancing in that direction with the inten- 
tion of turning our left. There is a dark belt of woods 
just in front of Hooker, where the enemy has partially 
concealed his heavy force. The two Jersey regiments 
and Birney's brigade are ordered to the attack, and they 
push forward into the woods in a straight, unbroken line, 
and after some desperate fighting and terrible slaugh- 



528 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

ter, the enemy is driven from his position at the point 
Df the bayonet. The Jersey regiments have fought for 
more than an liour, have crossed bayonets with the en- 
emy's best troops, and the ground where the struggle 
was hardest is strewn with the dead and wounded. 
Tlie fight now extends along Kearney's front, and the 
roll and crasli of infantry is the heaviest that has been 
heard during the battle. Kearney hurls his battalions 
against the enemy, who is continually re-enforcing his 
lines with fresh troops, with reckless impetuosity. Now 
the enemy's lines are thinned by his deadly vollies ; 
now he wavers and falls back; now his grey lines send 
up one of those demoniacal yells common with them in 
a charge, and surge forward again, as if resolved to die 
or drive us from our position. But again liis ranks 
are thinned ; officers are killed while gallantly leading 
and encouraging their men ; he staggers under the 
blow and falls back. It is our turn to charge now. 
Bayonets are fixed, and the long line of bristling steel 
rushes forward as soon as the order is given, and the 
enemy is driven in confusion from that part of the field. 
All his efforts to shake our centre have failed ; and 
seeing the hopelessness of the contest, he throws away 
everything in his haste to get beyond harm. 

And while this is going on, Sickles has been active 
on another part of the field. He has moved with great 
rapidity, considering the nature of the ground he had 
to march over, has gained our extreme left, and de- 
ploying his troops on each side of the Williamsburg 
road, is engaging the enemy with great spirit and suc- 
cess. He is up just in time to check the flank move- 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 629 

ment referred to before, advances steadily against the 
enemy through an open field, facing a deadly fire of 
musketry. Step by step he pushes them back across 
the open ground and into the edge of a belt of pine 
wood. '' Now, boys," he says, calling to his troops, 
"give it to them with the bayonet!'^ It needed noth- 
ing more with the Excelsior brigade. On it dashed, 
charging into the wood with loud cheers, and scattering 
the enemy like so many' sheep, killing, wounding, and 
capturing them by scores. Sickles completing his victory 
by recapturing Casey's camp and giving it back to him. 
It is eleven o'clock now. From the centre to the 
extreme left the enemy has been beaten and driven 
back, leaving nearly all his dead and wounded on 
the field. A rumor is circulated that Magruder is 
killed and Longstreet badly wounded. But Magruder 
has so often been killed and other rebel generals 
wounded by camp rumors that we are come to be sus- 
picious of them. There is a partial cessation of hostil- 
ities now, which lasts for nearly an hour, during which 
the enemy is seen manoeuvring on our right, where he 
evidently intends to attack us in force. He does not 
keep us long in doubt as to his intentions, but again 
comes forward in solid column, hurling the strongest 
of his force against Richardson's division, and making 
charge after cliarge in such rapid succession and with 
such desperate impetuosity that it seems impossible we 
can withstand such shocks. Although we have driven 
his hosts from the field on the left, and even gained a 
signal victory over him, if he should pierce our line 
here he will do us serious damao^e ; perhaps throw us 



530 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

into confusion and gain the final victory, with all its 
destructive results. 

The bridges are all swept away now. There is no 
hope of getting any more troops over. We must fight 
and win with the force we have here, or suffer what 
must naturally be a crushing defeat of the whole Army 
of the Potomac. Every man, from the commander 
down to the humblest private, feels this, and fights as 
if he felt it. 

For more than an hour he expends his force against 
this position, our troops receiving his charges un- 
moved, and pouring their vollies into his ranks with 
great rapidity and effect. The slaughter is something 
painful to contemplate. The fight is between people 
of a kindred race, and the courage of each is so evenly 
balanced that one cannot help wishing they were fight- 
ing in a different cause. But the enemy begins to ex- 
haust himself by the fury of his onsets. It is now our 
turn to charge. The order is given to advance, and 
" forward ! forward !'^ is heard along Richardson's 
line, and the troops respond to it with rare earnest- 
ness. The enemy delivers a galling fire in the face of 
our advancing column, but it is only for a few minutes. 
Now he wavers, then falls back, then is driven in con- 
fusion from the field. 

It is twelve o'clock now. Our whole line has taken 
up the forward movement, and the rebels are fleeing 
everywhere. The battle has ended, and our victory is 
complete. In his precipitate retreat the enemy has 
left behind him his dead and his wounded, his arms, 
and indeed nearly everything in the shape of war ma- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 531 

terial. Our exhausted troops follow liim, and drive 
him pell-mell into that long belt of woods I have de- 
scribed in the beginning of this chapter, and where lie 
stood defiant on the morning of the 31st of May. But 
they are in no condition to follow him further. They 
have not slept for forty-eight hours, and have been fight- 
ing two days on the very worst battle-field the world 
ever saw. Our ammunition is nearly out, and so 
also are our supplies. It is unjust to expect of human 
endurance more than it is capable of giving. 

At two o'clock the firing ceased altogether, and we had 
driven the enemy back in confusion to his old line and 
re-established our own. But so completely exhausted 
were many of our troops that they lay down on the wet 
ground, and soon fell into so deep a sleep that it seemed 
next to impossible to awaken them. Add to this that 
we had nearly five thousand of our own, and perhaps 
as many more of the enemy's dead and wounded on 
the field to be cared for and removed. To have neg- 
lected these helpless sufferers at such a time would 
have been a crime than which there is none greater. 
And such was the condition of the ground that it was 
impossible to move either artillery or subsistence 
trains. Nearly all the cavalry, too, was on the left 
bank of the river, but owing to the boggy and stumpy 
nature of the ground, to say nothing of the woods, 
could have been of little service had it been on the 
right. 

Every right-minded man will appreciate our true 
condition after this battle. The question of following 
up our victory with the capture of Richmond has been 



532 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

discussed by various writers, most of them urging that 
we could have secured the prize with little difficulty. 
But it has always seemed to me that these writers were 
either blinded by their prejudices, or knew but very 
little of the real condition of the field after the battle 
was over. It is, indeed, much more easy to see what 
might have been done when a battle is over than to be 
sure that you are going to make right movements 
while it is going on. It is true we had driven the en- 
emy in confusion before us, but an attempt to feel his 
position on the following day developed the fact that 
lie had a strong picket line in the woods I have before 
referred to, and from which we failed to drive him. 
Nor must it be forgotten that the enemy had come out 
from his works to fight us. Having driven him from 
the field, we were not sure that he could not bring up 
fresh troops to meet our exhausted columns as soon as 
we crossed (if we could have crossed) that timber. 
But there was another and still more serious matter to 
be considered. The enemy had a line of strong works 
on the hills above, mounted with guns of heavy cal- 
ibre, and to storm and take these we should at least 
have troops in good fighting condition. Some writers 
have urged it as a reason that we could liave marched 
in and taken possession of Richmond, that the people 
were alarmed, excited, and ready to pack up their fur- 
niture and leave. The same state of public feeling 
has been witnessed in Washington more than once, 
when not only the people 43ut members of the Govern- 
ment were alarmed and ready to travel. But it docs 
not follow that these symptoms on the part of non- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 533 

combatants are proof that the troops are unaole to hold 
the works by which the city is defended. Sensible 
military men never gave themselves any concern for 
the safety of Washington after the first battle of Bull 
Eun. And the enemy knew full well that a serious 
attempt to take it would cost a sacrifice of life he was 
never in a condition to pay. 

My opinion, when compared with the opinion of others, 
who are, perhaps, better qualified to judge of the real 
military condition at that time, will go for but little; but 
it has never seemed to me that we were capable of march- 
ing into Richmond from the right bank of the Chicka- 
hominy, immediately after the battle of Fair Oaks. But 
the question still remains as to whether we could have 
moved our right wing, on the first day, over New, 
Mechanicsville, and Meadow bridges, and having scaled 
the steep hills and captured their works on the crest, 
taken the enemy in flank and rear, the effect of which 
would have given us Richmond. The enemy had a very 
strong position here ; he could defend the approaches 
to these three bridges with a very small force, and our 
charging columns would have been exposed to the most 
destructive enfilading fire. We had no correct informa- 
tion as to the force he had concealed in that dark belt 
of timber on the crest of the hill ; and there was the 
uncertainty as to where Stonewall Jackson was. The 
Government at Washington had not been able to give 
us any definite information concerning him for several 
days, and were he suddenly to strike our right and 
rear, and by some freak of fortune, which seemed al- 
ways to be in his favor, to cut us off from our commu- 



634 TUB STORY OF A TROOPER. 

nications, we would have been found without supplies, 
and in the most hopeless condition an army was ever 
found in. With all our communications open, the con- 
dition of the country was such that it was with the 
greatest difficulty we could supply our army. 

Nor is it just to say that this sanguinary battle was 
fought without any material result. It was one of a 
series of battles by whicli the enemy's power was to be 
broken down and finally exhausted. That we made 
errors, as well in the selection of the position as in the 
manner of fighting the battle, will not be denied. But 
the enemy also made errors, and greater ones than we 
did. This was particularly apparent on the first day, 
when, instead of making his attack on our extreme left 
at twelve o'clock, he had moved his flanking column at 
daylight, swept around our right, (the right of our left 
wing,) which he could easily have done, and, holding 
his position, sent a small force to destroy the frail 
bridges on which all our hopes hung, no power within 
our reach could have saved the force we had on the 
south bank of the Chickahominy from utter destruction. 
It was because Johnson felt too sure that he had us 
secure in his grasp that he did not do this. I have 
since been informed that it was reported to him in the 
morning at daylight that the flood had swept away all 
the bridges, rendering it impossible for the Federals to 
cross reinforcements. Hence his belief that after 
crushing our left with one terrible blow he would have 
little trouble in sweeping round our right, cutting off 
our means of retreat, and capturing our whole force. 
The action of Sumner dispelled the illusion and gave 
us the victory. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 535 

Let us be just and generous, then, to the General 
who fouo.-lit the battle, and did what he thouG^lit best. 
We can afford to be both; to hold tlies cales of justice 
also witii a firm hand, and to show that we are truly great 
by giving to merit the reward it has earned. And 
v/hile we are crowning with laurel wreaths the General 
who fought our last battles and won our last victories, 
let us not forget the one due to him who trained our 
armies and fought our first battles when the sky wj^s 
dark. 



CHAPTER XLYIII. 



GENERAL CONDITION OF THE ARMY— REVIEW OF THE rilOSPECT. 

TtiE flood tide of our misfortunes seemed to set in 
after the battle of Fair Oaks. We began the building 
of more permanent and higher bridges, the men worked 
in some places up to their waists in water, pickets 
stood in water knee deep, and the almost incessant and 
heavy rains would destroy at night work done during 
the day. On the upper bridges the engineers worked 
nearly all the time within range of the enemy's guns, 
which would open on them nearly every day, and, as I 
m} self can attest, afforded us an entertainment of sliot 
and shell not at all pleasant to share. We had batteries 
in position at Dr. Gaines's house, which always replied, 
but did not save our working parties from the annoy- 
ance. At other times the enemy would engage us for 
an hour in an artillery duel, rarely doing much injury. 
At one time he threw a number of shells into the camp 
of the Lincoln cavalry, near Elletson's mill, causing 
quite a scampering among the troopers. At another 
he threw a number of sliolls quite a distance over 
Meclianicsvjlle, into the First Jersey brigade, killing 
and wounding two or three, and causing the brigade 
to change camp. The Pennsylvania Reserves, too, en- 

536 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 637 

camped near Sidnor's house, were served in a similar 
manner, and driven in alarm from their camp. Indeed 
the enemy seemed to know the exact position of our 
camps, and to accommodate his range accordingly. 
His most determined effort to disturb our quiet, how- 
ever, was made against General Baldy Smith's position. 
He had brought up guns of longer range than usual, 
and one afternoon, while we were peacefully contem- 
plating his movements from what we considered a safe 
distance he opened his batteries and sent several shells 
clean through Hogan's house, which was used for an 
hospital, making it necessary to remove the sick and 
wounded to a place of safety. This outrage so excited 
the anger of General Smith that he lowered the hos- 
pital flag, and would have replied to their guns but for 
an order from General McClcllan, directing him to put 
the flag up again and hold his fire. 

The tide of our misfortunes now began to flow fast. 
The wet weather continued unabated, and sickness set 
in and spread to an alarming extent. Intermittent 
fever, diarrhoea of the most virulent kind, and indeed 
all those diseases peculiar to the swampy lands of the 
South, prostrated the men, and filled our hospitals to 
overflowing. There was no keeping the knowledge of 
this from the troops, and the effect of it on their spirit 
was very depressing. I thought then, and think now, 
that disease was increased rather than checked by the 
large quantities of commissary whiskey, of the very 
worst description, that was served to the men. Good 
spirits, served in moderate quantities, might have bene- 
24 



538 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

fited tliem ; but that wliicli tliey received was little 
better than poison, and had a stupifying effect. 

Our condition on the other side of the river was still 
worse. The troops in many places were encamped on 
the battle-field, which reeked with putrid matter, while 
the very air was foul with sickening and offensive smells 
and black witli flies and other noisome insects. The 
dead, too, had been buried in great haste, and in many 
places the rains had washed the bodies almost bare. I 
rode over the battle-field several times between the 1st 
and 20th of June, and each time returned sick. We 
were also throwing up a long line of defences, and the 
immense amount of work that had to be done in the 
trenches, most of it with the men np to their knees in 
water, was having a severe effect on the strength and 
spirits of the troops. And while all these malignant 
influences were operating against us and reducing our 
force day by day, we had reliable information that the 
enemy was bringing up troops from all parts of the 
Confederacy and concentrating them in Richmond, 
preparatory to another great battle. We had troops 
enough, but they were scattered from Fredericksburg 
to Harper's Ferry. Some were protecting the fears of 
the authorities at Washington. Some were doing or- 
namental duty at Baltimore. Those under McDowell 
were doing nothing. And an army of nearly thirty 
thousand, commanded by an ornamental general, was 
affording mere military entertainment for StonewalL 
Jackson. Our ornamental generals flourished in those 
days. And those were the days when the war was 
carried on from Washington, and people were consid- 
efed tlind who did not see through its spectacles. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 539 

And wliile all these troops were thus scattered and 
nominally idle, the only reinforcements we could get 
were gentle assurances and the Pennsylvania Reserves, 
with General McCall. Perhaps never in the history 
of war did a general have to fight against so many ad- 
verse influences as did General McClellan. He had a 
brave, powerful, and earnest enemy in his front, increas- 
ing his strength every day; a restless, intriguing polit- 
ical enemy in his rear, against whom he had to contin- 
ually struggle ; and the frowning elements overhead. 
He had to do battle with each in turn ; and to gain a 
victory over them all was something human nature is 
scarcely equal to. No wonder, then, that the man's 
resolution faltered, that he became undecided, that his 
very nature should change. He had failed to gain the 
confidence of liis superiors, failed to make them see the 
necessities of his position ; and their assurances of 
support and confidence were made more aggravating 
through the fact that their acts were in conflict with 
them. It was this that made him give his thoughts 
more to saving than fighting the army. 

Extreme caution and hesitar.cy now marks our move- 
ments. The noisy enemy beats his drums and sounds his 
bugles on the opposite hills, night and morning. There 
is perfect stillness in our camp. Music stirs the soul 
of the soldier, and his courage is inspired by the beat 
of the drum. But not a band plays, not a bugle sounds, 
nor a drum beats in our camp, and tlie stillness of a 
churchvflrd reigns at night. The men ask, " Why is it 
that we cannot have music ? Is it because we are afraid 
of the enemy?" Officers reply thnt it will discover 



540 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

our position to the enemy. But this stillness carries a 
deeper significance with it. The better-informed can 
read in it the thoughts and feelings of the General in 
command. 

The wet weather continued, with few intermissions, 
until the 18th of June. But what was even more dam- 
aging to the health of our troops was the sudden changes 
from heat to cold. At times the weather would be op- 
pressively hot in the morning, storm clouds would roll 
up in the afternoon, the rain would fall in torrents du- 
ring the night, and before daybreak the wind would sud- 
denly change and blow a gale from the east, making 
overcoats and extra blankets necessary. It was a com- 
mon thing to be washed out of our tents at night, to 
wake up by our tents being blown down, and to look 
out and see the whole line in the same plight with our- 
selves. We went to bed many a hot night and got up 
in the morning to find our poor animals shivering witli 
the cold. And this was June weather in Old Yirginia. 

We had a visit from the Spanish general Prim, and 
a number of his staff ; but nothing worthy of record oc- 
curred after the battle of Fair Oaks until the afternoon 
of the loth, about three o'clock, when our camp was 
thrown into an intense state of excitement by a report 
that the enemy was approaching in force from the direc- 
tion of Hanover Court-House, his advance guard be- 
ing composed of several regiments of cavalry and two 
batteries of artillery; one had it that his force was at 
least thirty thousand. Another said it was Stonewall 
Jackson with forty thousand confederate troops ; that 
he had attacked Stoneman's and Philip St. George 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 541 

Cook's cavalry, about four miles away on our riglit, 
and was sweeping down on our rear, where he "would 
next attack us and cut us off from our base of supplies. 
General McClellan had removed his headquarters to 
near Trent's house, on the south bank of the Chicka- 
hominy, and Franklin was absent from his. I believe 
he was with General McClellan. This increased the 
excitement. Then Captain Royall, of the 5th Regular 
cavalry, came in with a severe sabre cut wound on his 
head, and covered with blood. This gave rise to ru- 
mors of the most ridiculous kind, which were not long 
in finding their way through every camp. Of course 
we were all under arms at once, and had our horses 
saddled, ready to move. 

Instead of Stonewall Jackson it turned out to be that 
bold rough-rider J. E. B. Stuart, making liis first grand 
raid, with about fourteen hundred cavalry, splendidly 
mounted and equipped, and four pieces of light artil- 
lery. He came sweeping down close to our right, and 
comparatively within sight of Stoneman's camp, meet- 
ing no opposition until he reached the old church, near 
Cold Harbor, where a battalion of tlie 5th cavalry 
under Captain Royall was encamped, protecting our 
communications. The Captain is reported to have 
fought gallantly, but was soon overpowered, and his 
little force scattered. Indeed the Confederate horse- 
men seem to have ridden right over them, then turned off 
towards the Pamunky river, moving at a rapid pace. 
At Garlick's landing they destroyed a lot of supplies 
and three small schooners laden with forage. Pro- 
ceeding on in the direction of the White House, they 



542 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

captured and destroyed a train of about twenty wag- 
ons, carried off the mules, and barbarously murdered 
a number of the defenceless teamsters. The Pennsyl- 
vania Reserves were at the White House, of which 
Stuart had information. He, however, found at Tuns- 
tall's station, near by, enough to occupy liis time for an 
hour. He fired into a train of cars, and nearly fright- 
ened a paymaster out of his wits. He burnt the depot, 
cut the telegraph wires, and tore up a portion of the 
track. And he brought a number of sutlers to grief 
by appropriating such of their stock as his troopers 
wanted, destroying the remainder. Having done 
what damage he could, he made for the Chickahominy 
as fast as possible, and having made the half-circle of 
our own lines, crossed his force at Long Bridge and 
reached Richmond unmolested. 

Let us see what we did to intercept or cut off this 
bold raider. Everybody wanted to go in pursuit of 
him, and yet nobody was ready to go. Everybody 
knew that he would travel round us and try to get 
back into Richmond by the lower fords or bridges, and 
yet nobody seemed to entertain the idea that that was 
the place to send a force to intercept him. At length 
a happy and very generous idea seemed to have entered 
some one's head. Stuart had a father-in-law in our 
army, a bold trooper withal, and what could be better 
than to send him in pursuit of his rebel son. If they 
came to sabres, and one got killed, why it would all be 
in the family, and in a civil war such things do occur 
at times. After a good deal of waiting for orders, 
Philip St. George Cook, at six o'clock, proceeded, with 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 543 

a force of two regiments of cavalry and a battery of 
artillery, in pursuit of his rebel son, and at lialf-past 
eight o'clock was in the vicinity of Old Church, fol- 
lowing in his circle, but some three hours behind. 
Whether this was a serious effort to overtake the bold 
raider or not I am unable to determine. The reader 
cannot fail to see, however, that there was little hope 
of its being successful. And the gallant father seems 
to have had some grave apprehensions of being cap- 
tured and entertained by his rebel son, for he gave up 
the pursuit after proceeding as far as Cold Harbor, 
and came back safe to us to report. 

Two or three days after this occurrence a smart little 
newsboy, crossing the Chickahominy on a fallen tree, 
came into our lines with a bundle of Richmond Dls^ 
"patches, containing an elaborate and well-written ac- 
count of the deeds of valor performed by Stuart and 
his troopers. The boy had evidently been sent over 
by Confederate officers anxious that we should see their 
heroism in print. 'The boy sold his papers readily, and 
for silver, which pleased him much, for he had not seen 
such money, he said, for a long time ; but was much 
distressed when told that we should want him to stay 
and spend some time with us. Newton and other 
general officers had joined us over the camp-fire that 
night, and the little newsboy sang us songs and enter- 
tained us with stories concerning Richmond until nearly 
midnight. 

It was the 18th of June now, and the weather began 
to improve. Still there was much sickness among tlie 
troops, and dysenter}^ prevailed to an alarming cxtcut. 



4: 



544 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Information of the most reliable kind reached us daily 
that the enemy was concentrating his forces in Rich- 
mond, under Lee, preparatory to a great battle. We 
had also information that Beauregard had arrived ; and 
that Ripley had come up from Charleston, with his 
command. 

The Pennsylvania Reserves had reached us, and 
taken position on our extreme right, near Mechanics- 
ville. Smith's division of the Sixth Corps had moved 
over to the south side of the river some days before. 
Orders had several times been issued to move the other 
(Slocum's) over, and as often been countermanded, un- 
til the want of decision manifest in these orders became 
annoying, and gave rise to unfavorable comments. It 
was apparent that General McClellan was undecided 
as to where the enemy would attack us, if he did at- 
tack, and what force was necessary on the north bank 
of the river to hold our right. In justice to General 
Franklin, it must be said that he was opposed to weaken- 
ing our line on the right, believing that if the enemy came 
out to attack us it would be at this point — that here 
he would deal his heaviest blows. And when the final 
order came to move headquarters and the second divi- 
sion over he obeyed it, but with feelings of reluctance. 

We moved over this morning ; and as we halted at 
Colonel Rowland's headquarters, on the brow of a 
liill overlooking Alexander's bridge, where we also met 
General Slocum, more than one general ofiScer looked 
back over that long thin line we called our right with 
feelings of misgiving. That line extended from ar 
where we stood to Mechauicsville, a distance of five 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 545 

miles, and was left with Fitz-Jolm Porter^s corps and 
McCall's division of Pennsylvania Reserves and Stone- 
man's cavalry to hold it. We had now four corps 
crowded into that swampy, pestilent battle-field I have 
before described on the south bank of the river. This 
was the second grand development of a fatal error. 

Passing over Alexander's bridge we entered an open 
field, on the left of which was a piece of high ground 
on which Trent's house and its large barn stood, and 
where General McClellan had his headquarters. The 
Lincoln cavalry, holding the extreme right of Frank- 
lin's corps, was encamped in the open field, exposed to 
a burning sun one day, and the drenching rain another. 
Between the cavalry camp and Trent's house several 
batteries of artillery stood, harnessed day and night, 
and ready to belch forth their destroying missiles at a 
moment's notice. Just south of this position the ground 
was uneven, thickly wooded, full of ponds of water 
and little streams, and intersected with roads cordu- 
royed with rough logs, rendering travel over them ex- 
ceedingly slow and difficult. 

Our headquarters were pitched on a hammock just 
in the edge of this wood, and was surrounded by fallen 
trees, which gave it quite a backwoods-ish appearance. 
We were about three quarters of a mile from General 
McClellan. The lover of solitude could scarcely have 
selected a more sequestered spot than we had for head- 
quarters. There was a little green patch about two 
hundred feet square in the woods, with a deserted log 
cabin in the centre, and bordered with shrubbery and 
flowers. Around tliis square we pitched our tents, 



546 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

building arbors in front and decorating tlieni with the 
branches of trees. 

This little green lawn and its deserted cabin af- 
forded me food for contemplation. Wlio or what 
member of the human family could have reared liim a 
humble cottage and made him a home in this secluded 
spot? The hand that trained that shrubbery and cul- 
tivated those flowers was guided by taste. What sturdy 
arm felled those huge trees just beyond? what heart 
beat high with hopes for what the future might bring 
forth on this barren soil ? How much happiness and 
contentment ma}' he have enjoyed here ? And may it not 
have been sweeter because it was enjoyed away from 
the cares of the world and the vices that beset the am- 
bitious ? Did this humble woodsman, after toiling in 
poverty and eating the bread wliich poverty brings, 
give up, heartsick and disappointed ? Where is lie 
seeking a home now? Perhaps he is dead, and lies 
buried here where we have pitched our tents. Perhaps 
his spirit, big with some trouble that haunted liim 
through life, hovers in these dark woods which grim 
war has filled with soldiers and their neighing steeds. 
But did he ever dream that the day would come when 
a general and his stajff would make a banqueting hall 
of his humble cabin ? To all these questions not even 
Captain Hoff, who is wise in the philosophy of spirits, 
can return a satisfactory answer. 

There is a deep and densely wooded ravine, a wild 
and romantic spot, where the magnolia, the jessamine, 
and the sweet laurel blossom, just back of our liead- 
quarters, and the air is sweet with their perfumes. A 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 547 

pretty brook murmurs at the bottom, and springs of 
clear, cold water gush out from the hill side. This 
water is pleasant to the taste, but its effect on the health 
of the men is bad. 

Towards morning there was heavy musketry firing 
on our left. The enemy made an attempt to advance 
his picket line in front of Hooker ; and that General, 
always impatient to have a trial of strength with his 
adversary, drives him back in fine style, and declares 
he only wants orders to beat him back into Richmond. 
In short, we have musketry firing on our left nearly 
every afternoon, with more or less casualties. The 
enemy also entertains us every day by tossing a num- 
ber of shells into various parts of our lines, and these 
we return without restricting the compliment. The 
enemy is sure to pay us these compliments whenever 
Professor Lowe's balloon goes up; and that gentleman's 
apparatus is coming into bad favor with our generals. 

News comes to us of an exciting nature. Our scouts 
have brought in a man dressed in dirty gray clothes. 
He turns out to be a very intelligent man, and after 
giving various accounts of himself, finally confesses to 
be a deserter from Jackson's army, which he describes 
as advancing slowly in the direction of Hanover Court- 
House. There is no doubt now in the minds of some of 
our generals as to where the enemy intends to make his 
real attack, and what part Stonewall Jackson is 
to play. Now is the time to prepare for it, to send 
back troops to strengthen our riglit at Mechanicsville, 
and to guard against Jackson's attempt on our rear. 
But General McClellan still hesitates, is still uncei'tain 
as to what tlie enemy's real intentions arc. 



548 THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 

It is the 25th, and we have resolved to drive the 
enemy back from Heintzelman^s front. He has a con- 
siderable force there, and holds a strong* position, ex- 
tending across the Williamsburg road. There is an open 
field in front of Heintzelman, and beyond it a long 
belt of thick timber, in which the enemy is partially 
concealed, and has a redoubt and some rifle pits. 
He has annoyed us here for several days. At nine 
o'clock Hooker and Kearney advance with their di- 
visions over the open fields, and are met with a terrible 
fire of infantry; steadily they receive and return the 
fire, advancing step by step, with colors flying and 
drums beating. For two hours the ground is con- 
tested with desperate valor on both sides ; but our 
infantry fire is thinning out the enemy's ranks, and our 
steadiness is giving us the advantage. Hooker, on his 
white horse, and Kearney, with his one arm, are con- 
spicuous along the line, urging on their men, while ex- 
posing themselves in the thickest of the fight. Bayo- 
nets are fixed and a charge ordered, and the line 
dashes into the woods with an impetuosity that is irre- 
sistible. The Excelsior Brigade has again performed 
a conspicuous part in the fight. The enemy's redoubt 
and rifle pits are captured, and his line is driven back 
through the woods, and into a piece of swampy ground, 
where the fighting again becomes desperate, for Hooker 
and Kearney are not the men to give an enemy mucli 
time to rest during a battle. General Palmer, with a 
brigade of Couch's division, moves up and engages the 
enemy, making an attempt to get on his left. The Irisli 
brigade, nnd anotlier of Richardson's division, also 
move up and become engaged ; and for a time i t 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 549 

looks as if a general engagement would follow. But 
that idea is soon dispelled. The enemy lias reasons 
of his own for not extending the fight to any other 
portion of his line. 

At four o'clock the feeling of anxiety is relieved. 
Hooker and Kearney have driven the enemy, after hard 
fighting, from his position, captured his redoubt and 
rifle pits, and advanced on him nearly a mile, with a 
loss of only 340 killed, wounded, and missing. The 
enemy's loss was evidently greater, for his troops 
came on in masses, and his officers exhibited a strange 
recklessness of life in hurling them in this manner 
against our strongest points. But hark ! There is 
cannonading on the other side of the river. Fitz 
John Porter's cannon are ringing in our ears. Some 
of our officers are at a loss to know what this means. 
The enemy intends nothing serious. He is only en- 
tertaining us with a few shells from the hills opposite 
Mechanicsville. He will to-morrow make his move- 
ments so bold and pointed that there will be no mis- 
taking his intentions. We have taken measures for 
the evacuation of the White House, and the removal 
of our supplies to the James river. 

It is the morning of the 26th now, and the weather is 
hot and sultry. Franklin, with the Sixth corps, is to 
advance to-day, make an attack on and try to get pos- 
session of a strong position on his front called the 
Old, or Burnt Tavern. The engineers have slashed and 
cut roads through the belt of woods in front of us, and 
everything is in readiness for the movement. If we 
can gain and hold that position we shall have secured 



650 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

an important advantage. Riclimond it is tliouglit by 
some will be within range of our siege guns. Gen- 
eral Franklin and staif are out early, and the corps is 
seen making preparation for some movement. Gen- 
erals Baldy Smith and Slocum, too, are in the saddle 
early, and are here to consult with Franklin. But the 
enemy is vigilant, and seems to comprehend our move- 
ments. He, too, is up at the dawn of morning, and is 
preparing to give us warm work. That dark, dense 
belt of woods conceals him from our view; but he has 
strengthened his picket line during the night, and our 
scouts tells us he has brought a strong force into these 
woods, and has several batteries of artillery just above. 
General Franklin, with Captain Philip and two other 
members of his staff, ride to the front and examine 
the position. About eiglit o'clock the enemy appears 
in force, advances in line of battle. Then two bat- 
teries of liis artillery open and pour in a terrible fire. 
They seem to have got the range of our position 
exactly, and the shells explode along our line with 
great rapidity, doing considerable damage. This is 
followed by a very rapid and withering musketry fire, 
which soon extends all along the front of the Sixth 
Corps. Our infantry return the fire handsomely and 
hold their ground firmly. Then three batteries of our 
artillery open with a terrible crash, the shot and shell 
tearing through the woods and making sad havoc in 
the enemy's ranks. For an hour or more the battle 
rages fiercely on Smith's front, artillery horses are 
being killed in great numbers, and the gunners are 
l-roiiglit in dead and wounded. But the enemy is re- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 551 

pulsed, and falls back to cover. He only intends this 
demonstration as a disguise. There was more fury in 
what he did than force to sustain it. We continue 
throwing shells into the woods, but the enemy's fire 
has slackened, and is now weak and desultory. 

A little after twelve o'clock we are startled by the 
deep booming of artillery, and rapid voUies of mus- 
ketry on the nortli bank of the river, in the vicinity of 
Mechanicsville. This tells us that Porter is engaged 
with the enemy, whose real intentions are now de- 
veloped. The sound of the artillery becomes louder, 
and louder, and the roll of musketry almost incessant. 
Now it ceases for half an hour, then begins again, and 
increases in violence. There is considerable commotion 
about General McClellan's headquarters. The telegraph 
brings reports, and staff oflGicers gallop off across the 
the river. Generals are seen hastening to general 
headquarters. But while tliey keep their thoughts to 
themselves, the wildest of rumors are circulating from 
camp to camp. The one most believed represents 
that Jackson has appeared in front of Mechanicsville, 
and finding it held by only one regiment of Pennsylva- 
nia troops and a small force of cavalry, has made pris- 
oners of them all, and is now driving the reserves 
across Beaver Dam creek. But it is not Jackson. He 
has his part, and will play it in tlie terrible drama that 
is to be enacted to-morrow. In the meantime the 
enemy is resolved to keep up appearances in front of 
the Sixth Corps. He has taken np a new position, 
and liis batteries have got an enfilading fire on a por- 
tion of our line, giving us warm work a great portion 
of the afternoon. 



552 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

Let us go over now to the north side of the river, and 
see what is being done at Mechanicsville. 

The enemy has crossed in two columns, one at Meadow 
bridge, the other just below, and advances under Hill, 
Longstreet, and some say Ripley. Our pickets have 
been driven in from Shady Grove, and the Confederate 
force presses forward boldly and defiantly until it 
gains the open, rolling ground just north of Mechanics- 
ville. At three o'clock there is sharp skirmishing, 
but tlie little force holding the position is soon com- 
pelled to give way, and fall back in the direction of 
Beaver Dam creek, on the upper road. The enemy's 
line presents an imposing appearance, with his right 
resting well down towards Mechanicsville bridge, and 
stretching back for a distance of two miles. His ban- 
ners are flaunting, his drums beating, his arms flash 
and gleam in the sun's rays, and his cavalry and ar- 
tillery add their force to the grand display. He has 
shown us his hand now, and already there are indica- 
tions that he intends to cross a still heavier force at the 
same point. We see groups of officers on the opposite 
hills, some mounted, others afoot, watching intently 
the movements on this side. 

Now there is a short cavalry skirmish, and a number 
of our troopers, in falling back, have got into tlie 
bog of Beaver Dam creek, and find great difficulty in 
extricating themselves. Stoneman's "flying column'"' 
of troopers, instead of finding out something about the 
enemy, has been quietly enjoying the shade of a pine 
grove for the past two weeks. It now finds itself cut 
off and almost helpless; and in order to escape Jack- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 553 

son falls back on the White House, and makes good 
time in reaching it. 

The enemy has halted at three o^clock, and is seen 
reforming his line, and making preparations for a 
forward movement. His fire, however, has not ceased, 
for he still keeps throwing shells into our line. A 
mile or so east of Mechanics ville is Beaver Dam creek, 
an insignificant little stream, with a soft, spongy- 
bottom, and steep, broken banks, making it exceed- 
ingly difficult to cross cither artillery or cavalry except 
at the roads. There are two of these roads leading 
from Mechanicsville east, the upper and the lower, 
and about a mile apart. On reaching the creek the 
lower one winds down a steep hill, turns suddenly to 
the south, runs for a few rods along the base of the 
hill, and again turns suddenly to the east, crossing the 
bridge at Ellison's mill, above which there is a dam 
and pond, extending some distance up into a meadow. 
The east or left bank of the creek is high and ridgy 
ground, much of it covered with oak forest, and form- 
ing a remarkably strong position. We have formed 
our line here, and command the only approaches open 
to the enemy. Seymour, with his brigade, is well 
down on the left, and holds the bridge at Ellison's 
mill, as well as the low ground near the Chickahominy. 
Reynolds is on the right, just above, and holds the 
upper road. 

General McClcllan is very anxious about our right 
flank, which is o))cn and exposed. And this anxiety 
is increased by the fact tliat Jackson is somewhere 
within striking distance. It is a little past three 



554 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

o'clock now, and the enemy moyes forward with a bold 
and defiant air, his batteries opening with a terrible 
crash. Then he hurls his strength against Reynolds, 
who repels his onsets with admirable effect. Again 
and again he hurls his force against Reynolds and 
Seymour, and is repulsed with heavy loss. This only 
seems to increase his determination to take their posi- 
tions, no matter at what sacrifice of life. But the 
strength of our position is developing itself, and gives 
us material advantages. For three hours the enemy 
concentrates his force against these two points, fights 
with desperate valor, but fails to drive us from our 
position or silence our guns. Meade, Martindale, and 
Griffin, with their brigades, are ordered up on the right, 
near Shady Grove, and in line, ready to support Rey- 
nolds. The battle ceases as the sun sets, the enemy 
falls back, but is still in sight, and the shadows of 
evening are playing mysteriousl}'' over the field. 

The enemy has not remained inactive on the south 
side of the river. He has got his batteries into a new 
position in front of Smith, and during the afternoon 
opens with a terrible enfilading fire on his line. The 
shell and round shot fell all around us, with fatal ef- 
fect, exploding and tearing up the ground, and giving 
it the appearance of a ploughed field. General 
Smith likes to get his headquarters as near the front as 
possible. It used to be said of him that he wanted to 
see his pickets. The enemy's shell now fell faster and 
exploded with more violence than was consistent with 
safety, compelling him to withdraw and seek a less 
dangerous position. Hancock, too, becomes engaged 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 555 

with the enemy, and after a sharp infantry fire repulses 
him handsomely. And yet all this demonstrating on 
the south side of the river is merely to keep us from 
sending reinforcements to the north bank. 

At ten o'clock the stars are out, and shining brightly, 
and a mysterious stillness prevails. Now and then a 
staff ofiicer or an orderly gallops up the hill to head- 
quarters, and then disappears in a different direction. 
The telegraph is flashing messages backward and for- 
ward between Generals Fitz John Porter and McClel- 
lan. Tlien the dull, clucking sound of heavy wagons 
breaks the stillness, and a long dark train is seen 
coming cautiously over Alexandria bridge, then wind- 
ing, in a shadowy line, up the hill and past Trent's house. 
They are Porter's wagon trains, and their movement 
to this side of the river, at this hour of the night, tells 
us but too plainly what we must look for to-morrow. 
There, too, comes the heavy siege train, moving slowly 
and cautiously over, and disappearing beyond the hill. 

It is Friday morning, the 27 th of June. Officers, es- 
pecially those about headquarters, have had little sleep 
during the night, and at two and a half o'clock the 
enemy disturbs our whole line, and causes a rush to arms, 
by opening a terrific fire just to the left of Franklin's 
position. Then he extends his fire to General Smith's 
front, making a final attack with infantry and artillery, 
which is handsomely repulsed by Hancock and David- 
son. General Franklin has received orders to hold 
what force he can spare ready to send to Porter's as- 
sistance when needed. General Slocum, with his 
division, is moved down to the right, near the Chicka- 



556 THE STORY OP A TROOPER. 

hominy, and holds Duane's bridge, ready to move on 
the receipt of orders. 

We must now go over to the other side of the river 
and see what Porter is doing. We are on the defen- 
sive now, and having decided to change our base of 
supplies to the James river, the thoughts of General 
McClellan are centered on the best mode of eflfectino: 
his purpose. We have evacuated that strong position 
at Beaver Dam creek ; and an hour before daylight on 
the morning of the 27th finds us falling cautiously 
back to a position on rolling ground near Gaines's 
liouse, where we can eover the bridges while holding 
the enemy in check. Our left rests in a clump of 
woods, at right angles with and near the Chickahominy, 
just above Duane's bridge, facing north; from thence it 
continues across the meadow, and up over the rolling 
and wooded ground, the right resting near New Cold 
Harbor, or Gaines's Mill, and forming tlie arc of a 
circle. The distance is nearly three miles. The fol- 
lowing is the disposition of our troops. Butterfield's 
brigade is on our extreme left, well down in tlie meadow. 
Martindale's brigade is on its right, and on the slojjing 
ground. Then Griffin's brigade, on the right of Mar- 
tindale, and on tlie high ground near Gaines's house. 
These three brigades compose Morrell's division. Each 
brigade has two regiments in reserve. Sykes's divi- 
sion of regulars joins the right of Morrell, and stretches 
away in a curve, through the thick woods, until its right 
rests where T have before described. But where is Mc- 
Call's division of Pennsylvania Reserves ? It is hold- 
ing a second Line about a mile in the rear, covcrii!<> 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 657 

Alexander's bridge. Eight companies of Rush's Lan- 
cers (6th Pennsylvania) are posted still further in the 
rear, with five companies of the 5th and four of the 1st 
Regulars, under Philip St. George Cook— all drawn up 
in line, and ready to support and protect the left flank. 
Their fluttering pennons, their guidons, their bright 
sabres and lances, give an additional charm to the 
martial spirit of the picture. Two companies of the 
Lincoln cnvalry are posted alons^ the roads leading 
to tlie bridges, to check straggling, which is fast be- 
coming an intolerable vice with our army. But that 
which has tlie most formidable appearance in the line 
is the artillery, an arm we depend on most, whicli is 
posted in the intervals between the brigades, and 
where it can sweep the ground in front. Some of 
our engineers say the artillery along the line was not 
well posted, and that Porter has not studied the 
ground carefully, although he has been on it more than 
a month. It was a grand and imposing sight to see 
this little army of scarce thirty thousand men thus 
drawn up in line of battle amidst these picturesque 
scenes, and cahnly await the approach of an enemy, 
their equal at least in courage, and double their 
number. 

The enemy has crossed two more columns near Me- 
chanicsville, and at eleven o'clock may be seen massing 
his forces in three lines across the meadow. Now 
tills force advances, horse, foot, and artillery, with 
dru'.us beating, bugles sounding, and banners flying, 
and sending up a cloud of dust that fills and darkens 
the air. It joins the force thai crossed yesterday, 



558 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

which now deploys to the left, and is seen moving 
through the woods towards our right, and tlien de^ 
bouches into the open ground. It is twenty minutes 
past twelve now. The weather is excessively hot; 
there is scarcely a cloud in the sky, nor breeze enough 
to lift the banners. The clouds of dust that roll up all 
along our front, added to the noise of artillery and 
the tramp of horsemen, tell us that the enemy is ad- 
vancing to the attack. Now we see the top of his 
banners over the hill in front of our centre, then sud- 
denly he appears full in view, fifty thousand strong at 
least, and comes sweeping forward with a force that 
seems irresistible. The main points of the two armies 
are now within half a mile of each other, and a fire so 
terrible that it makes the very ground tremble opens all 
along the line. For three hours the enemy makes liis 
strongest effort against our left and centre. He knows 
that if he can pierce our centre he can throw us into 
confusion and put us to flight. If he can crush our 
left and drive us from the belt of woods in that meadow, 
he will have cut us off from the upper bridges. The 
slaughter at these points is sad to contemplate. The 
enemy's batteries have literall}^ rained sliot, sliell, and 
case into our ranks, and our men have fallen like 
grass before the mower's scythe. Still we have re- 
pulsed all his charges up to two o'clock, and our gun- 
ners have stood to their guns and served them with a 
rapidity hitherto unknown, yielding them up only 
when they were nearly all cut down. Captain Robert- 
son, with his battery of horse artillery posted on the 
extreme left, has four times driven the enemy back 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 559 

with grape and cannister when it seemed as if no ef- 
fort of ours could save the line. The 5th New York, 
(Duryea Zouaves,) too, have fought witli desperate valor, 
and several times saved the line. The reserves have 
nearly all been brought up, and are engaged at various 
points, but without seeuiing to add much to the force 
of our resistance. There is a limit to human endur- 
ance ; and our troops are beginning to show it. It is 
clear that the enemy not only outnumbers us, but that 
we are being outgeneraled. General Porter either 
does not understand the true condition of his own 
line or comprehend what the enemy intends to do. 
Reinforcements are needed and called for to strengthen 
our left, wliich the enemy is making the most desper- 
ate efforts to crush, and wliich we must hold, or all is 
lost ; but tliey are called for in vain. One member of 
General Porter's staff seems to consider it quite as 
much a part of his duty to direct the battle, and give 
orders tliat conflict witli those of liis superior, as to 
carry out such as are entrusted to him. Our shattered 
lines now begin to waver and fall back ; and General 
Porter finds that liis position is so critical as to need 
reinforcements from the south side of the river. Our 
men, too, liave lost confidence in the head that is 
directing llieir movements, for the American soldier is 
quick to discover tlie faults of his general. They are 
falling out and straggling in great numbers. The 
roads to tlie bridges are iilled with the slightly 
wounded and stragglers, who are making the best of 
their way to tlie other side of the river, where they 
circulate the most exciting rumors of our defeat, of 



560 THfi STORY OF A TROOPER. 

the number slain, and the guns we have lost. There is 
no panic ; but there is something that comes very 
near it. No efforts of the Lincoln cavalry can stop 
these stragglers. An officer of that regiment, speak- 
ing of it, said : "When I attempted to stop a crowd 
of them with my men, they turned upon me with 
the question, ' What was the good of staying? Our 
ammunition was all out, and we had no bayonets.' " 
It was a question whether they had honorably exhaus- 
ted their ammunition. They had thrown away their 
bayonets as an excuse for deliberately walking away 
from the field. 

Let us for a few minutes leave the battle here, pro- 
gressing in all its fury, and pass to the south side of 
the river to see what is going on there. There has 
been a wonderful change since morning. Slocum's 
division has been in position near Duane's bridge all 
the morning; he is now ordered to move down to Alex- 
ander's, and hold it at all hazards, until further orders. 
Slocum was impatient to cross over early in the morn- 
ing before the sun's rays were hottest, and many of our 
officers expressed surprise at seeing him held back so 
long. It is about one o'clock when he falls back to 
Alexander's bridore and halts. 

General McClellan and the most of his staff have gone 
over to Porter, and Franklin is in command at head- 
quarters, and stands watching anxiously by the tele- 
graph. For two hours a terrible cannonading has been 
going on all along Smith's and a part of Sumner's front, 
and our killed and wounded are being brought in in great 
numbers. In short, the enemy gets an enfilading fire 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 561 

on our lines, and the shot and shell are thrown among 
Smith's troops with such rapidity, and explode with 
such terrible effect, that an officer wlio was in the 
thickest of it said the explosions reminded him of huge 
fire crackers on Boston Common, on the Fourth of July. 
He liad been at the battles of Bull Run, Williamsburg, 
and West Point, but never before had he seen so hot 
a fire. 

And yet as the enemy did not discover himself in 
force, but remained most of the time in cover, I am in- 
clined to believe that there was more fury than power 
to sustain it in these demonstrations against our posi- 
tion on the south bank of the river. Our batteries 
did not seem to get the direct range of theirs, or if 
they did, the effect on their fire was not felt. Leaving 
Captain Philip at the telegraph. General Franklin 
goes to the front, and, exposed to the hottest of the fire, 
directs the working of our batteries. While there, a 
number of messages are received at headquarters re- 
questing reinforcements for Porter. Franklin is ex- 
pected back every minute, but does not come. A mes- 
sage now arrives stating that affairs are in a critical 
condition, and requesting that Slocum's division be 
sent immediately to the support of Porter. Captain 
Pliilip hastens to Franklin with this message, and finds 
him still directing the fire of our batteries, and the 
enemy's shells falling thick all around him. Both gal- 
lop back to headquarters as quick as possible, and 
in another minute the captain is carrying an order to 
Slocum to move. 

It is 2.40 P. M., now, and Slocum moves at a double- 
ts 



562 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

quick, and is on the field and ready to engage tlie enemy 
at three o'clock and twenty minutes. He found the 
bridge filled with stragglers, and had to force his way 
through them. He found the enemy making his 
fiercest attacks on our left and centre, where our dead 
lay in long, ghastly lines, attesting the heroism witli 
\vhich our small force had held these points, and which 
now needed supports most. He found the left and cen- 
tre shattered and wavering; some of the batteries had 
exhausted their ammunition; others were making a last 
struggle to save their guns ; the men were giving 
out from sheer exliaustion, and it needed no better 
proof than the terrible slaughter made in our ranks 
that our generalship had been at fault, to use no harsher 
term. Instead of bringing this fine division then to the 
front, and forming a new line of battle at the points 
where we were pressed most, and which it was impor- 
tant for us to hold, and where the troops composing it 
would fight under an officer tliey knew, respected, and 
had confidence in, it was divided up into fragments, and 
sent to various parts of the line, and where, in truth, it 
was of little use, if we except being needlessly exposed 
and slaughtered by the enemy. Regiments are sent to 
the right on the double-quick, and then ordered back to 
the left, which they reach to find that it has been driven 
back by force of numbers and an enfilading fire, for the 
enemy has brought his guns to bear upon it from the 
opposite side of the river. Colonel Howland, with the 
16th New York, their white straw hats answering for 
targets, is sent across the front over an open field, close 
to and exposed to the enemy's hottest fire. The colonel 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 663 

IS severely wounded, and the regiment is nearly cut to 
pieces. The sight sickens tliosc who see it, and officers 
ask each other what military genius it was who 
ordered such a movement. The Jersey brigade, v*^hich 
Kearney was so proud of, is sent to the right, and 
pushed into a dense wood, where, in little more than an 
hour, it is nearly all captured or destroyed. 

There is nothing for Slocum to do but look on — a 
silent spectator of the blunders that are sending his fine 
division to quick destruction. He knows it is folly to 
attempt to patcli up and give strength to a weak and 
shattered line by scattering a division of fresh troops 
along its whole length, especially when the troops that 
have been figliting for four hours have lost confidence 
in the head that is directing their movements. His 
command has been taken away from him, and he sickens 
at the sight of what he is powerless to improve. 

It is twenty minutes past four o'clock now, and still 
the unequal contest rages all along the line. Sykes, 
with the regulars, has been doing some desperate fight- 
ing on tlie riglitj.and has repulsed several attempts of 
the enemy to turn his position. Bat his troops arc 
becoming exhausted and overcome with the heat, and 
lie has had to yield some ground. A terrible can- 
nonading now breaks forth in tliat direction, as if some 
new and more determined impulse had been given to 
the battle. It is the thunder of Stonewall Jackson's 
artillery that we hear. That adroit flanker has 
swept down by the Old Church road, and has opened 
v/Jth terrible force on our riglit, which is not strong 
enouuii to resist him, and falls bnck, to save oui' rear. 



564 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

The fortunes of the day are now in his hands, and it is 
certain tliat he will wield his power to the best advan- 
tage. The news of Jackson's arrival, and the rumor 
that he had outflanked us, ran along our line, and had 
a depressing eifect on the troops. Straggling increased 
three-fold, and officers began to lose all influence over 
their men. Slocum's division had given no visible 
strength to the line, which again staggers and reels, 
and makes but a feeble resistance to the fierce and 
powerful onsets the enemy is making to cut us off from 
the bridges on the left, and double up our right. In 
front of that belt of woods in the meadow, the bodies 
of the dead lay in lines. Porter again calls for reinforce- 
ments, and reports his condition as critical in the ex- 
treme. 

Meagher's Irish brigade, with French's, of Sumner's 
corps, are ordered to move over with all speed. An 
hour passes, and they have not made their appearance. 
The bridge over which they must pass is blocked with 
stragglers, and an ambulance train, with the wounded, 
is winding its slow way over another. In the mean- 
time our loft has again been pressed back ; we have lost 
tlie piece of woods we struggled for with such tenacity, 
and the confusion and excitement resulting from it is 
extending to the centre. And to add to this coiilusion 
and excitement, some military genius, with more reck- 
lessness than judgment, and with the mistaken belief 
that a mere handful of cavalry can force the enemy 
back, when our artillery and infantry have failed, 
orders a charge with five companies of the 5th Regu- 
lars. Both odi'jcrs and men go to their work bravely 



THE STOr.Y OF A TROOPER. 665 

enough, and it is a tlirillinp: sight to see these gallant 
men draw their sabres, and dash into those lines of steel. 
But it is like sending men to certain death. The offi- 
cers are nearly all killed ; the men are cut down by the 
score ; riderless horses rush wildly tlirough the lines, 
and the shattered remnant that returns to us only tram- 
ples down our own men, and increases the disorder 
already begun. 

The whole line soon falls back in some disorder 
to a high ridge about three-quarters of a mile in the 
rear, which overlooks Alexander's bridge, and where, 
by the extraordinary exertions of officers, the troops 
are got to form a new line in a stronger position. 
The enemy does not seem to grasp the advantages he 
lias gained, and pauses for some purpose for several 
minutes. The air is thick with dust and smoke, which 
rises in clouds above the battle-field, and almost ob- 
scures the enemy's line on our centre and left. But 
Jackson's artillery is still thundering on our right, 
telling us that there the battle is still raging in all its 
fury ; that our hope of checking him is slender indeed. 
We have lost upwards of twenty guns, and the ground 
is strewn with small arms, clothing, and indeed every- 
thinc: our soldiers find to be an encumbrance. We 
have also left the enemy all our dead, and the greater 
part of our severely wounded. 

It is seven o'clock now. The deep red sun is kissing 
the hills and tree tops in the West, the heavens are 
overspread with crimson light, and lurid shadows are 
playing over the battle-field, now giving a strange and 
weird effect to the enemy's lino, t!icn lio-htini; uj) and 



^Q^ THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

giving a clearer outline to tlie features of the dead and 
the wreck of tlie field. Again the enemy pushes througli 
the meadow and up the hill, and the battle is renewed. 
Officers turn instinctively, and cast ominous glances 
over that long log-way leading to Alexander's bridge, 
and impatiently ask, "Where are the reinforcements?" 
If they arc not here soon, all is lost. But listen. 
There is great shouting and cheering over there. 
They are coming at last. The head of the column is 
full in sight, coming at a double quick, pushing the 
stragglers aside as it sweeps along, and making the 
very woods resound with cheers. There is French and 
Meagher, both at the head of their brigades, the latter 
in his shirt sleeves, calling to his men and encouraging 
them to hasten forward. We all know how the Irish 
brigade will fight ; we all know what splendid fight- 
ing French did with his brigade at Fair Oaks. The 
sight of these two brigades, sweeping up the slope, 
their cheers and shouts, and the cheerfulness witli 
which they advanced to the front, form line of battle, 
and engage the enemy, revives tlie drooping spirits of 
the exhausted troops, re-animates them, and gives them 
new courage. Men who have thrown away tlieir 
guns and resolved to march from the field pick u]) 
others, and fall in, ready to renew the fight. This 
cheering and shouting takes the enemy by surprise, 
lie sees that our line has found new energy ; and he 
knows that we have been reinforced, but not to what 
extent. He hesitates; then advances with a degree of 
caution uncommon with him. When he has got to 
where we can i;ln-o t read the faces of hii men Lc dc- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 567 

livers a heavy infantry fire; then makes several de- 
monstrations against our centre and left. He is re- 
pulsed each time with heavy loss. 

The sun goes down ; night closes on the scene now, 
and the clash of arms ceases. The ruddy glare has 
gone from the dread scene of battle, and dusky shadows 
are struggling with the veil of smoke that hangs like a 
funeral pall overhead, giving a dim and misty outline 
to the configuration of the two armies. The fight 
had been an unequal one; we had been badly beaten; 
and no sophistry could change the fact that much of 
our trouble was the result of bad generalship. I have 
seen no correct estimate of our loss during this battle. 
That it was very heavy, and that there was needless 
slaughter during the day, will not be denied. If it 
were necessary to fight this battle in order to gain time 
for our retreat to the James, was it the part of wis- 
dom to keep the 5th corps, composed of two divisions, 
and McCall's division of Pennsylvania Reserves, (never 
very reliable troops,) fighting four hours against double 
their numbers and in a weak position, while Slocum's 
division of the finest troops in the army remained idle 
at Alexander's bridge, within call? Was it necessary 
first to exhaust our small force on the east bank of the 
Chickahominy, and then to call for reinforcements from 
the south? Was it the part of wisdom to wait until 
our lines were shattered and wavering, and our troops 
were discouraged at the incapacity of their officers, be- 
fore calling for reinforcements? The enemy showed 
us his hand plainly enough in the morning, and it was 
our dut}" to have made better preparation to meet him. 



568 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

The lives of so many human beings placed in the hands 
of one man constitutes so sacred, so awful a trust, that 
the severest penalty should be meted out to him who 
trifles with it. 

It was indeed a sad, a sickening sight to see returning 
that niglit the mere wreck of what in the morning was 
one of the finest and fullest divisions in the army. I 
refer to the return of Slocum's division. So badly had 
it been exposed and cut up, that in the space of an 
hour and a half from the time it came on the field it 
lost six colonels, three lieutenant colonels, five 
majors, an unprecedented number of line officers, and 
nearly 3,000 men. That splendid Jersey Brigade, 
which went out in the mornins; over three thousand 
strong, returned with a few over eleven hundred. 
When every fact in the history of this fierce battle is 
written, and written without fear or favor, there will 
be a sad summing up for some one to answer for. 

On crossing the river after dark, the face of the hill 
on which General McClellan's headquarters stood 
presented a scene painful to contemplate. The wound- 
ed from the battle-field, to the number of several 
thousand, had been brought over and laid in rows on 
the ground, so thick that it was with difficulty you 
could pick your way through them. Guards were 
placed over them, and although very many were suf- 
fering from the severest of wounds, and but little care 
could be given to them, scarcely a murmur or com- 
])laint was heard. Now and then one, in seeing a pas- 
ser by, would raise his head, and inquire how tlie 
battle had resulted. Another would request him to 
tell somebody to brinii,- Www a diink of water. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 569 

General McClellan's lieadqiiartcr Iciits were all 
struck, and tlie crcnoral was lavins: down under a booth 
iiiade of the branches of trees, worn out with ftitigue, for 
lie ha«l not slept for forty-eight hours, and liad been al- 
most constantly in the saddle. Generals Franklin, 
Porter, Sumner, and Ilcintzelnian soon joined him, and 
remained in consultation until nearly eleven o'clock. 
Tiio order of falling back to the James river was then 
decided on, and the corps commanders proceeded to 
carry out their instructions. About tliree o'clock on 
the morning of the 28th Keyes's trains were set in 
motion, lieaded down the main road across White Oak 
Swamp, wliich Colonel Woodbury and his engineers 
had been sent to put and keep in order. And then be- 
gan what was called the dead march of the long wagon 
train. 

The work of silently withdrawing the troops from 
tlicir position near Gaines's house went on during the 
night, and between five and six o'clock on the morning 
of tlie 28th, the rear guard, composed of Sykes's regu- 
lars, Dassed over and destroved the bi-idge. The otlicr 
bridges had already been destroyed. A good part of the 
night, too, was spent getting the stragglers to their 
regiments, and re-establishing the organization of such 
otliers as had been shattered and broken during tlic 
battle. 

The enemy did not seem to understand the drift of 

our movements, and remained comparatively inactive 

on the cast side of the river until long after daylight, 

notwithstanding his pickets must have seen our rear- 

iiuard withdraw across t!ie bridge. Some of our olH- 
9/-,::- 



570 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

cers tliouglit lie mistook these troops for a regiment, or 
two we were merely sending across the river, wlille 
our main army intended to retreat by a circuitous 
route to the White House. Others were of opinion 
that he had mistaken the number and intention of t!ie 
reinforcements that came up on tlie previous evening-, 
and expected us to renew the battle in the morning on 
different ground. Very likely the latter was the more 
correct version, for early on the morning of tlie *2Sth 
(Saturday) a heavy column of the enemy's troops was 
seen moving down the hill, past Garnett's house, and 
crossinor over to the east ijank of the river. Smitlrs 

o 

attention was called to the movement of this cohunn, 
and the suggestion made that we open upon it witli our 
artillery. " Not a gun! " returned Smith; " they are 
going just where we want to get them. When they 
lind out what our movement is, they will want to got 
back." They crossed, moved on down the meadow un- 
molested, and soon came in front of the bridges. 

Slocum had taken position near a clump of woods at 
Alexander's bridge, on the extreme right, and Smith 
liad formed line at some distance on his left, the re- 
serve artillery holding a strong position between and 
a little in the rear of the two divisions, and where it 
could sweep the bridges. In th.is w^ay the whole Sixth 
corps faced nearly east, forming a curve round the 
slope of the hill, above which was Trent's house. 
About 8 o'clock the enemy couid be seen indistinctly 
throuLch the trees, makinii' attempts to repair and cross 
two of the bridges. A i^ow well-directed shells put an 
end to his efforts at that point for the day. About 'J. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 571 

o'clock in the morning lie had disturbed the little rest 
some of our troops attempted to get by opening a 
sharp infantry fire on our left, which he kept up in a 
desultory manner for more than an hour. A little 
after 9 o'clock a vigorous attack, with both infantry 
and artillery, was made on General Smith's front. 
They seemed to have got tlie range of our position per- 
fectly, and for an hour the very air was musical with 
bullets, and the shell and shot fell in a shower about 
us. Hancock, with his brigade of fighting Yermonters, 
was again placed where he could display his skill, and, 
after some severe fighting, drove the enemy back at 
the point of the bayonet, with heavy loss, and captured 
a number of prisoners. The enemy afterwards sent in 
a flag of truce, asking permission to bury his dead and 
carry off liis wounded, which was granted. It was the 
opinion of some of our officers that this permission was 
used by the enemy to obtain information concerning 
our position and intentions. An attack was now made 
against Heintzclman's position, causing that general 
some excitement, and the loss of not a little temper. 
Hooker and Kearney, however, v,ere there, and met 
these attacks handsomely, driving the enemy back 
every time he altenipted to charge. About 11 o'clock 
he returned and made another attack on Smith's front, 
and in this intcriniilcnt manner ke})t us pretty busy 
for the rest of the day. Franklin remained with 
Smith', directing the nio\'enieiii of our troops, and 
watching tiic eneni}'^ until nearly dark. 

Although the enemy kept up these spasmodic demon- 
stralions alona' our line on the south bank of the river 



572 THE STOllY OF A TROOPER. 

during the 28tli, it is clear to me that tliey were in- 
tended o;ily to keep up the appearance of strcngtl) at 
that point, and were no proof tliathe had a large force 
ill our front. lie never discovered more tlian two or 
ilirce regiments of infantry at a time, and it was evi- 
dent that he moved his ti-oops from one point to another 
in order to make it appear that he was strong the 
whole length of liis line. In short, his main army was 
on the other side of the river, and his attacks on this 
side, it will be noticed, were made on one or two points 
at a time. 

It was now niglit. McClellan has moved his head- 
quarters to Savage's Station, where a largo number of 
our wounded liad been carried, where an unnecessary 
amount of supplies liad accumulated, and were piled 
up in immense stacks, and whicli was also used as a 
depot for ammunition. The scene here was of the most 
confused and indescribable kind. The ground was 
covered for a considerable distance with wounded men. 
who had been told that the whole armv wasretreaiino;' : 
and many of them were in a state of great anxiety at 
the prospect of being left behind. The very thought 
of falling into the hands of the enemy seemed to re- 
vive and put new life into some of them, who were 
seen to bind up their own wounds with whatever they 
could get, and move off with the solemn procession of 
I he sick, the sight of whicli was one of the most touch- 
ing features of the movement. In addition to the 
wounded, there was around the Station a perfect mob 
of teanistei-s and stragglers, of sutlers and camp- 
iollovvers, blocking up t!ie I'oad- iv.il avenues, increas- 



THE STOllY OF A TROOPER. 573 

ing the excitement, and rendering it exceedingly diffi- 
cult to force a way to General McClellan's head- 
quarters. 

Just after dark, an order came to send all the wag- 
ons down from Savage's Station to White Oak Swamp; 
tlicn another, to move Slocum's division by the left, to 
the station. The night was very dark, and a drizzling 
rain was falling. Slocnm was laying down in his tent 
when he received the order, but in less than an hour 
liis division was moving silently over the hills, and 
soon disappeared in the dark woods. Later in tlie 
evening General McClellan sent for General Franklin, 
who proceeded at once to his headquarters, at Savage's 
Station, and remained there during tlie night. Smith, 
with his division, was now all that remained on the 
extreme right; and as the enemy had got an enfilading 
fire on his position during the afternoon, he was 
naturally impatient to know what disposition was to 
be made of his force. A little after midnight, he sent 
Captain Philip to Savage's Station, to find Franklin, 
and ascertain what orders there were for him. The 
distance was about two miles, over a narrow and very 
bad road, which ran for some distance through a deep, 
dark ravine. Here the captain found Mc Call's division 
laying down in mass in the road an^ woods, and com- 
pletely blocking up the passage. In truth, the whole 
division seemed to be enjoying a comfortable nap, and 
lie pleaded in vain tliat he was a staiF officer, and had 
important orders for tho commanding general, and 
must get through. At length, a whizzing noise over- 
head, as of a shell passing through the woods, was 



574 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

heard. Then another, and another. Tliis broniiht the 
uliole division suddenly to its feet, and created such a 
scampering of the brave reserves as completely cleared 
the road, and gave the officer a clear right of way. 
The captain found General Franklin in General 
McClellan's tent; and as orders had already been sent 
to General Smith, he remained there until daylight, 
when General McCiellan and his staff proceeded to 
White Oak Swamp, and General Franklin returned to 
Trent's house, to direct the movements of Smith's 
division, which, with a division of Sumner's corps, 
were to cover the retreat of the whole armv. The rear 
of the long wagon train was just winding over Trent's 
hill, and one of the siege trains was preparing to fol- 
low. Smith was in line of battle still, and making: as 
formidable an appearance as he could. But the enemy 
had discovered the real intention of our movements 
now, and was evincing great eagerness to follow us up 
rapidly. He had not only repaired one of the bridges 
during the night, and begun to cross troops on our 
flank, but was demonstrating in heavy force on Sum- 
ner's, and a portion of Heintzelman's front. The 
trains were now urged forward as fast as possible, as 
it was evident we should have to make a stand at 
Savage's Station. * Our wagons, in a single line, would 
stretch over a distance of forty miles, a fact from wliich 
the reader can obtain a correct idea of how much tho 
movements of the Army of tlie Potomac were impeded, 
and its fighting capacity reduced. The trains were 
ordered to take on what subsistence they could at the 
depot, but very few of the teamsters heeded the order, 



THE STORY OF A TllOOPER. 575 

and very many of them were so anxious to get out of 
danger, that they proceeded on witli empty trains. 

Smith began early to withdraw his troops, and had 
scarcely disappeared beyond Trent's hill when the 
enemy's advance came in sight, and began throwing 
shells into his rear. Some of our generals were afraid 
that the enemy might cross the river at Bottom's bridge, 
or one of the fords below, and take us in flank and rear. 
Smith, however, fell back to within a quarter of a mile 
of the station, and took position on Sumner's right. 
And here again there was jarring between generals, the 
result of which might have been very serious, had the 
enemy understood its true character. Sumner was 
opposed to the army retreating in this manner, believing 
that t'lie troops would regard it as an evidence of our 
weakness, and become demoralized. He was opposed, 
also, to abandoning the sick and wounded to the mercy 
of the enem3^ He did not hesitate to say he believed 
we were yielding too much to our fears, and that some 
of our officers were setting a bad example to their men 
in tlieir exhibition of haste to get out of danger. He 
believed we were strong enough, not only to resist, 
but to beat the enemy, and that here was the place to 
stand and decide the great question of strength. These 
opinions he asserted with an emphasis that amounted 
to insurbordination; so much so that General McClellan 
sent one of liis stalY to place him in arrest, and relieve 
him of his command. General McClellan can tell 
lis why this was not carried out. I may add, also, that 
Sumner believed sincerely, that as the enemy had only 
his moviii;]: shadow on this side of the river, bolwccn 



576 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

US and Richmond, and his substance on the otlicr, all 
that was required even now to give us possession of 
the city was the outlay of a little boldness and decision 
on tlie part of the commanding general. He believed 
that we had the necessary strength in the troops; and 
to restore confidence and inspire the will, it only needed 
a proper example from General McClellan himself. 

Sumner had great confidence in Franklin's clear 
judgment, and in this instance yielded to his reasoning, 
which at least saved a great deal of trouble. But 
between Sumner and Heintzelman there were personal 
differences, which it were not so easy to reconcile. 
Both had been ordered to fall back early on the morn- 
ing of the 29th, about a mile and a half from their old 
positions, and hold the new line until night, to give 
time for the trains to get well on the other side of 
White Oak Swamp. Heintzelman fell back to the point 
designated, and in some haste. Sumner fell back only 
to Allen's farm, an open field between Savage's and 
Orchard Stations, where he formed line of battle, and 
waited until Franklin came up with Smith's division, 
and connected with his right, Slocum having moved 
down by tlie left at daylight, and proceeded to relieve 
Keves, who had been holdinii: the intersection of the 
roads on the other side of the swamp. 

There was a piece of thick wood between Sumner's 
left and Heintzelman's right; and the latter, finding 
that the former had not fallen back to the precise point 
designated on the map, and becoming uneasy about his 
right flank, deliberately withdrew his corps from the 
field, (without orders,) and proceeded across White 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 577 

Oak Swamp, at Brackett's Crossing. The reader 
cannot fail to see how disastrous such a proceeding 
might liave proved. It uncovered the two roads 
leading to Sumner's left ; and the first intimation he 
had of his real condition was the enemy coming down 
on it in force over the Williamsburg road. The 
rapidity with wiiich one of Sumner's divisions changed 
front, took up a new position, and drove the enemy 
back, was all that saved him from serious disaster. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



THE BATTLE OF SAVAGE'S STATION— ITS IMPORTANCE. 

The American soldier is an observing, thinking being. 
You never can destroy his individuality; you never can 
make him a mere piece of machinery. He has a rough 
and homely way of criticising what is going on around 
liim, but his criticisms are well taken, and tersely ex- 
pressed. He observes the movements of his general 
closely, obeys his orders because it is his duty, but 
respects him only so far as his ability entitles him to 
respect. You might, perhaps, convince a whole cabinet 
of ministers that doctors and lawyers were just the 
men for generals, but an American soldier never. He is 
sure to put a general officer on his ability, and judge 
him by that alone. And he is very likely to draw 
correct inferences from the drift of what he sees 
around him. Our present position was one naturally 
calculated to give the widest scope to those qualities. 
The soldiers who witnessed the terrible disaster to our 
arms at Gaines's Mill, as it was called, drew correct 
conclusions as to its cause, and were fixing the responsi- 
bility where it belonged. And when a rumor began to 
circulate that we were retreating before a victorious 
foe, whose worst pa^^sions had been excited n:riii;ist us, 

578 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 579 

iLej were ready to believe it. As usual in such cases, 
alarmists were busy everywhere; and their evil reports 
received fresh color and strength when, in the gray of 
morning, General McClellan's headquarter wagons 
moved hastily to the rear, and were soon followed by 
tlie general and his whole staff. " Why, if we are not 
beaten and in danger," inquired an officer, " does the 
commanding general proceed to the rear? He should 
be here, directing the movements, and by his presence 
restoring confidence to the troops." 

" He has gone to tlie rear," replied another, " to do 
the work of liis engineers; to study the ground and 
I^repare the way for our safe retreat. We should have 
known this country weeks ago, and would, liad the 
general put his cavalry to a good use. But he never 
seems to know wliat to do with cavalry." 

"Yes," said a tliird; " but will the troops understand 
this, and, putting a correct interpretation on it, act 
accordingly? How are tliey to know wliat the gener- 
al's intentions are, when lie only confides them to his 
corps commanders ?" 

It w^ould be the sheerest folly to charge cowardice 
as the cause of these movements on the part of General 
McClellan Those who know him well, know that he 
is no coward. But lie was discouraged and heart-sick; 
and what he did liere was an error of judgment, aris- 
ing from placing too low an estimate on his own 
strength, and not fully comprehending the precarious 
condition the enemy was placed in on tlie 28th, when 
nearly his whole force was on the north side of the 
river. 



580 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

We now needed something to counteract the bad 
effect of tliese movements, and to restore some degree 
of conlidence in the troops. And we secured it iu the 
battle of Savage's Station, thanks to Franklin's skilful 
handling of the troops. The work of destroying the 
immense amount of supplies and ammunition tliat had 
accumulated began early in the day, under the di- 
rection of Heintzelman, and for several hours presented 
one of those grand and terrible pictures it is impossible 
to describe. A train was loaded with ammunition, 
and, with its engine, sent headlong into the Chicka- 
liominy, with a roar and crash that made tlie very 
ground tremble. Then huge columns of black smoke 
rolled upwards and darkened the air, and the burning 
piles became enveloped in a sheet of flame that seemed 
to li'^k the very clouds. Then shells began to burst, 
and explosion succeeded explosion, until the whole as- 
snmed the appearance of some great volcano vomiting 
its liquid fire. Wliile some men were enQ:a2:ed in 
knocking in the heads of whisky barrels, others wore 
drinking the running liquid from little pools. The 
enemy read in this grand and terrible picture what our 
intentions were, and made haste to take advanta,2:e of 
them. Our line was composed of Smith's, Richard- 
son's, and Seds-wick's divisions, the first formino: the 
rio;ht and the last the left. About 9 o'clock the enemy 
appeared in some force on the Williamsburg road, and 
made an attack on Sedgwick's left with infantry and 
artillery, which was handsomely repulsed, our men re- 
covering their courage after a little, and displaying 
great steadiness. Tl)e contest here lasted for aljout an 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 581 

hour, wlicn the enemy, evidently satisfied that he had 
mistaken our strength, withdrew. About 11 o'clock 
he made a more determined attack on Richardson's 
front, expending his force chiefly on a position held by 
General Brooks, wlio fought with great gallantry, re- 
pulsing several attempts to force him from his position. 
Although the enemy made these demonstrations with 
great boldness and display, several of our officers be- 
lieved he was merely keeping up appearances, and had 
no strong force at hand to sustain him. A number of 
his officers, captured by us afterwards, confirmed this 
belief, by assuring us that the only troops between us and 
Richmond at that time were the divisions of Huger and 
Magruder, neither of them remarkable for discipline. 

With the exception of some desultory firing, things 
remained quiet until about 4 o'clock. Sumner had given 
orders to fall back to the position designated in the morn- 
ing, and had begun moving by the left to execute it, 
when the enemy suddenly appeared, advancing rapidly 
over the Williamsburg road in heavy force. Another 
force debouched from the woods and appeared in front 
of Smith. Here was the signal for warm work. Here 
was the force that had effected a crossing at Alexander's 
bridge, and followed Smith when he withdrew from 
Trent's hill. Our column was at once halted, faced 
about, and moved back to the old position, where a line 
of battle was rapidly formed. Smith's artillery had a 
good position, and prepared at once to meet the brunt 
of the attack. 

Sumner was in command of the field, but Franklin 
personally directed the movements; and so skilfully did 



582 THE STOHY OF A TROOPER. 

he liandle the troops, and check-mate every movement 
the enemy made, that the troops seemed to gain new 
heart and courage, and for more than four hours our 
Hue stood unbroken against the enemy's heaviest shocks. 
The enemy made charge after charge, increasing his 
force every time, now against our centre, then against 
our flanks, and with an impetuosity and desperation it 
seemed almost impossible to resist, and was each time 
driven back Avith terrible slaugliter. Our artillerymen 
stood to their guns when at times the enemy seemed 
determined to charge over them. Never were batteries 
made to do better execution, or more gallantly de- 
fended. At times it was found necessary to double 
shot them to drive the enemy back. The fight con- 
tinued with great stubbornness until after dark, when 
the enemy, driven back along the whole line, gave up 
the contest, and our victory over him was complete. 

The result of this battle was to dispel the gloom that 
had settled upon our troops, to give them more confi- 
dence in themselves, and to convince the enemy that 
our discipline had not all broken down, and that we 
were at least in a condition to successfully resist him. 
During the niglit we quietly and cautiously withdrew 
from our position, and proceeded to fall back over White 
Oak Swamp. Our men were exhausted from excessive 
labor and want of sleep, which many of them had not 
enjoyed for three days and nights. 

There is a very general error abroad concerning the 
condition of White Oak Swamp. The generally ac- 
cepted idea is that it is one immense, inundated forest, 
or lagoon, with a deep and dangerous stream in the 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 583 

centre, and the passages across it few and very diiBcult. 
This is erroneous. In very rainy seasons portions of 
it are inundated, and the stream in its centre assumes 
some considerable magnitude, and could not be crossed 
by heavy trains without difficulty. But we have had 
dry weather for some days, and the terrors of the swamp 
are more imaginary than real. In fine, the water is at 
its lowest stage, and, with the exception of the swampy 
borders of the stream in its centre, the ground is tol- 
erably dry. The stream is little more than a brook of 
dark water, moving sluggishly among a thick under- 
growth of trees, reached by causeways ra3.de of rough 
logs, and spanned by bridges such as we meet every 
day on an ordinary country road. Had we understood 
this swamp better, which we might have done, had 
our cavalry been properly employed, there would have 
been no need of crowding our immense trains upon a 
single crossing, creating such an amount of confusion 
and excitement, such a block and jam of trains as had 
never been seen before, and whicli, but for the coolness 
and courage of a few officers, would have ended in a dis- 
astrous panic. The confusion of tongues, the disorder of 
animals, and the wreck of matter, presented at the pas- 
sage leading to Wliite Oak bridge during the day of the 
29th, no pen can describe. For miles around, the woods 
were blocked witli trains. Quartermasters were fight- 
ing for the right of way, and with drawn pistols threaten- 
ing to shoot excited teamsters. Here two or three trains 
would come togetlier, and in the fight as to wliicli siiould 
cross first, several teams would bo overturned, a gen- 
eral smash-up follow, and the whole rear brought to a 



584 TDE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

halt. An ordnance officer, assertino^ that he had orders 
from General McClellan, would claim the right to pass 
his wagons before a supply train. Teamsters would 
get frightened and increase the block by abandoning 
their teams, and sutlers' wagons were crushed to pieces 
in the general wreck. The want of a directing head 
was seen and felt everywhere. Colonel Woodbury 
and his engineers had done all in their power to facilitate 
the crossing of trains, and had made sidelings, that 
doubles might be obtained as often as possible, and thus 
relieve the pressure. But it seemed beyond the power 
of man to quiet the excited teamsters, and make them 
obey orders. 

The noise of the battle of Savage's Station increased 
the excitement and confusion, and gave rise to a report 
that the enemy was advancing in strong force down 
the Charles City road, intending to cut us off. Towards 
niglit, however, the block was somewhat relieved, and 
better order preserved in passing over the trains. Some 
excuse may be found for these unarmed teamsters when 
it is known that there were several regiments retreat- 
ing in the most disorderly manner, the officers setting 
tlie bad example of being more in haste to get out of 
danger than their men. There was one regiment, com- 
posed chiefly of Germans, particularly conspicuous for 
its bad conduct on this retreat. Nor can I with truth 
say that the bad conduct of this regiment was an ex- 
ception to tlie behavior of the German troops of the 
Army of the Potomac during their seven days of trial. 

I ouglit, perhaps, to notice here what General Kcyes 
did on falling back on tiie left. He was enjoined to 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 585 

proceed as quietly and cautiously as possible, to watch 
the Charles City road, and hold the intersections of 
the roads beyond the Swamp, so as to cover the trains 
at the main crossing. Quietness and caution were ne- 
cessary to keep the enemy ignorant of our movements. 
The general, however, was ambitious of recovering the 
reputation he had lost at Fair Oaks, and seeing an in- 
significant force of the enemy on his left, in the direc- 
tion of the Charles City road, got up an engagement 
with him, and captured a number of prisoners. And 
this achievement sent him into such a state of delight 
that he quite forgot the fact that he had discovered his 
position, and given the enemy just such information as 
he was in search of. In short, the general was so much 
engaged with the few motley prisoners he had captured 
tliat he could give no attention to the application of an 
officer of engineers for two hundred axes, needed to 
fell timber across the roads. Having discovered Gen- 
eral Keyes's position, the enemy moved a column in 
that direction during the night — a proceeding that 
came near proving very serious to Colonel Woodbury 
and his engineers, working at the crossings. 

Let us now return to Savage's Station. The forces 
under Franklin and Sumner began falling back over 
White Oak Swamp about 11 o'clock, leaving the dead 
and badly wounded on the ground, in charge of sur- 
geons detailed to take care of them. So silently and 
cautiously, and in such good order was this movement 
made, that the enemy was not aware of it until several 
hours after it began. 

General Marcy sent Franklin a guide to conduct him 
2G 



586 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

l)y a new and circuitous road over the Swamp. The 
iiiglit was exceedingly dark, and after riding for some 
lime through dense foliage, and every few minutes 
plunging into soft mud holes, the guide became bewil- 
dered, and confessed that he had lost his way. To be 
lost in the middle of the White Oak Swamp, with an 
enemy close at your back, with the foliage so thick and 
tlie night so dark that it was impossible to see any dis- 
tance, was not a very pleasant condition to be placed 
in. The poor guide protested his innocence of any de- 
sign to mislead, and evinced as much alarm as bewil- 
derment at the predicament he found himself in. Gen- 
eral Brooks, who had been severely wounded in the 
leg during the afternoon, joined Franklin and his staff, 
and, although suffering great pain, kept up with won- 
derful fortitude during the night. 

While groping in the forest, the noise of artillery 
passing over a road to the right was heard. An officer 
was sent to ascertain whether it was a battery of our 
own or one of the enemy's. It turned out to be one of 
our own. This, says Captain Philip, gave us the direc- 
tion of the road, and after gaining it and passing the 
column, we proceeded to the White Oak Swamp bridge, 
reaching General McClellan's headquarters, near a 
comfortable-looking farm-house just beyond, a little be- 
fore daylight. We were all wet to the skin, the tents 
were all full, and our only chance of getting a little rest 
and sleep was by laying down on the damp ground under 
the trees. More fortunate than the rest, I found Col. 
Astor, and engaged his chair for a nap. But it was 
only for a few minutes; General Franklin ordered me 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 587 

to proceed down tlie road and see what liad become of 
General Sinith and his division. Colonel Astor joined 
nie, and we proceeded down the road to the bridge, and 
found Generals Smith and Hancock, and a number of 
their staff officers, laying down on the ground under an 
apple tree, apparently worn out with fatigue. Their 
troops were halted in the edge of the woods, and many 
of tlie men had given out from sheer exhaustion, had 
dropped down, and were fast asleep on the wet ground. 

One of the most striking features of this retreat was 
the cheerfulness with which the Union soldiers bore up 
under the fatigue of the severe labor exacted of them. 
Hunger was now adding its terrors to the want of sleep 
and rest. The supply trains were out of reach, and 
many of the men, especially of Smith's and Richard- 
son's divisions, found themselves with empty haver- 
sacks. Some of them had subsisted for two days on 
little else than hard bread, and even that was fast 
giving out. In fine, "McClellan pies," as the soldiers 
called their liard bread, came to be a luxury, and the 
man who had an extra supply would generously share 
it with his less fortunate comrades. 

It came to be a common thing to see cavalrymen go 
to sleep and fall from their horses; to see cannoniers 
fast asleep on their guns; and to see men of the infantry 
in a state of apparent stupor while standing in the 
ranks. And yet these worn out and exliausted men, 
after an hour of rest and sleep, would wake up, appa- 
rently refreshed, and exhibitaclieerfulnessand readiness 
to again fight for their country's cause tiiat surprised 
and excited the admiration of tliose wlio witnesi^ed it. 



588 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

"I found," says Captain Philip, again, "that Smith 
and Hancock had just arrived. I delivered the order 
directing General Smith to get his troops together, 
form line of battle, and be prepared to defend this, the 
most important position of the whole line, and stand 
between our army and the advancing enemy. He went 
immediately to work, bringing up Lis troops, and by 9 
o'clock had his line formed.'' 

A little after daylight, General McClellan, with his 
staff and headquarters wagons, again moved to the 
rear, and we were left to fight during the day. Our 
line conformed to the crooked nature of the Swamp, 
and was so disjointed as to render it difiScult of de- 
scription in all its parts. It extended from the White 
Oak Swamp bridge, (our extreme right,) obliquely, to 
near the James river, where our left was covered by 
the gunboats. Porter and Keyes were down on the 
extreme left, and beyond the field on which the battle 
of White Oak Swamp was fought. Franklin, with liis 
corps, Richardson's division, and Neglee's brigade, was 
ordered to hold the position at the main crossing, on 
the extreme riglit. Slocum's division was sent some 
distance to the left, and held a position on the Charles 
City road, opposite Brackctt's ford, so that the terri- 
l)le battle at the bridge was fought almost entirely by 
Smith's and Ricliardson's divisions and Necclce's bri- 
gadc. Still further to the Jeft stood Ileintzclman, with 
Lvcarney's and Hooker's divisions, ^Ic Call's Pennsyl- 
vania Reserves being sandwiched in between them, and 
near an o[)cn field in the vicinity of Glendalc. 

It was feared that Jacksoii, whose flank movements 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 6S9 

were a source of terror to General McClellan, might 
cross at Long Bridge or Jones's Ford, and come in 
suddenly in our rear, as lie bad done at Gaines's Mill. 
To be prepared for such a contingency, General Sum- 
ner, with Sedgwick's division, was sent early in the 
morning to Glendale, where his line swung round so as 
to guard t!ie roads opening on our rear. He was 
therefore very nearly in the rear of and within sup- 
porting distance of McCall, about whose troops some 
of our generals had serious misgivings. 

The enemy evidently intended that this battle should 
be a finishing blow to the army of the Potomac. He 
had concentrated all his force here in front of us. Jef- 
ferson Davis, with one or two members of his cabinet, 
WG afterwards learned, was on the field during the day, 
encouraging the troops by his presence. Jackson, with 
ill his force, had come up, having followed Franklin 
lown through the Swamp. He was now, for the first 
time, confronted by a general who did not fear liim, and 
m the skilful liandling of troops was at least his equal, 
[t was Jackson's business to carry the bridge, and force 
Franklin from his position, wliich would have secured 
his object at Glendale without much fighting. It was 
Franklin's business to hold Jackson at tliis point, and 
keep him from sending reinforcements to other portions 
af the line. 

About 11 o'clock the enemy suddenly appeared in 
the woods, on the opposite bank, plain in sight, with 
some forty pieces of artillery trained on us, and stretched 
along among the trees for a distance of at least a 
mile. We could distinctly see the gunners busy among 



590 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

tlicir batteries, preparing for the work of death. Tlieir 
infantry yet remained concealed in the rear, covered 
by the dense foliage. Oar artillery line was formed, 
and under the command of Ayers, who stood ready to 
open at the signal. Both armies stood now for some 
time in silence, as if watching each other, and hesitating 
as to which should begin tlie work of death first. An 
open field intervened between the two lines, and on a 
bit of rising ground near its centre stood the house 
General McClellan had used for his headquarters. 
The owner's wife, a smart, talkative woman, with strong 
southern sympathies, had made herself very uncomfort- 
able at the presence of so many soldiers about her 
premises, and had several times remonstrated against 
the liberties tliey took with her fruit trees. She had 
also expressed great anxiety as to who was to compen- 
sate her for the loss of her fences and crop. The Con- 
federate artillery answered that question, I think, in a 
ratlier summary mannerj having trained at least two 
batteries on the house. A little after 12 o'clock they 
opened along their whole line, with a crash that made 
the very earth tremble. Such a storm of shot and shell 
as tlicy hurled into our lines has not been exceeded 
during the war. The destruction was terrible. The 
infantry dropped and hugged the ground while it passed, 
and some of our batteries were struck, but not seriously 
injured. The house settled to the ground as if it had 
been cut suddenly from its foundation, and the fruit 
trees around it were splintered to pieces. 

The enemy evidently thought General McClellan still 
occunicd the house. Franklin had left it but a fcv/ 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 591 

minutes before, and Smith had hardly time to get away 
when tlie crash came. A number of orderlies around 
the house probably led to the error. 

The battle of White Oak Swamp had now fairly be- 
gun, and a more fierce artillery fight than was kept up 
for at least two hours along this point has not occurred 
during the war. Our batteries replied with great rapid- 
ity and admirable effect. During the afternoon some 
of them fired as many as two hundred rounds, and at 
times it was found necessary to double-shot the guns to 
defeat the enemy's attempts to force a passage at the 
bridge. The enemy had evidently his best troops at 
this point, and made several of the most bold and dar- 
ing attempts to cross the creek, and with a recklessness 
of life sad to witness. But eaeh time he was driven 
back with terrible slaughter. At one time he succeeded 
in crossing a force below our position, on the right, and 
so exhausted were our troops, that it began to look as 
if our power to resist him nmst soon give out. But we 
drove him back across the creek, cutting down and cap- 
turing a large number. Here, again, Hancock did 
some good fighting. 

Franklin rode continually along the line, closely 
watcliing every movement, and by his presence inspir- 
ing the men, who had coiifidence in his ability to handle 
them properly, and fought with renewed energy where- 
ever he appeared. In short, he held Jackson as in a 
vice, and completely destroyed all his desperate at- 
tempts to gain the object of his ambition. At 2 o'clock 
the enemy's artillery fire began to slacken; then, one 
after another, his batteries became silent. At 3 o'clock 



592 THL STORl OF A TROOPER 

the battle was chiefly between the infantry, which kept 
up an incessant and very destructive fire. Our loss had 
been very heavy, especially in Richardson's division 
and Neglee's brigade. Poor Captain Hazzard, after 
fighting his battery with great gallantry, was mortally 
wounded. But the enemy's loss was lieavier than ours; 
and at the points he attempted to force, Ids dead lay 
in piles. 

He now moved to the left, and made a fierce attack 
with artillery on Slocum's front. Two of DeRussy's 
batteries were brought up to assist Slocum's artillery, 
and for more than an hour tlie battle raged with great 
fury. Upton and DeRussy fought their batteries with 
great skill and gallantry, repelling every attempt of 
the enemy to force Slocum from his position, although 
they were made with great boldness and determination. 
The indomitable courage, the stubbornness and tenacity 
exhibited on the one side, and the recklessness and 
dash on the other, afforded excellent standards of the 
character of the contending forces. 

While this fierce fight with the artillery was going 
on in Slocum's front, the enemy was concentrating the 
infantry of A. P. HilTs and Longstreet's corps for a 
desperate attack on McCall's position. The enemy 
had evidently found out where McCall was, and very 
correctly judged liis position to be the weakest along 
the line. 

Various conflicting statements have been made as to 
the precise time when the attack was made on McCall. 
An officer of engineers who was near the position at tho 
time, and whom I have always found correct in regard 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 5^^ 

to time, says: "The enemy began driving McCairs 
pickets in at precisely half-past two. At three lie be- 
gan to feel the position by advancing two regiments, 
which came forward with great boldness, but were 
driven back. It was thought he only intended this as 
a feint to cover some important movement on another 
part of the line. He then discovered in the edge of 
the woods what seemed to be a brigade. Still the be- 
lief was that it was only a feint." 

At 4 o'clock the enemy's infantry broke from its 
cover, and advanced under a shower of shot and shell, 
in such force and with such impetuosity as left no fur- 
ther doubt of his real intentions. The poor Reserves 
were not equal to such a shock. The enemy came 
upon them in overwhelming numbers, and poured into 
their thin ranks such a well directed and terrible in- 
fantry fire that they were forced to give way. In vain 
did Mc Call's batteries hurl their canister, and try to 
check the charging columns. In vain they cut great 
gaps through them, and filled them with the enemy'sdead 
and wounded. The slaughter only seemed to increase 
his impetuosity; and filling up the gaps with the living, 
he would charge forward again, and up to the very 
muzzles of the guns. In vain did McCall plead with 
his infantry to do their duty, and encourage his artillery 
to stand by their guns. In one instance, a regiment 
(the 4th Reserves) that had been sent to support a 
battery gave way before the advancing enemy, and 
rushing back on the guns, received and were cut down 
by the shot intended for the enemy. The Captain who 
commanded that battery, (Randall,) and who fought it 
26^- 



594 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

with great gallantry, declared that his supports gave 
him more trouble than the enemy. 

To tell the truth, tlie Reserves made but a poor re- 
sistance, and in a little more than an hour from the time 
the fight began, were retreating from the field, a disor- 
ganized mass. The German batteries attached to the 
division behaved still worse than the infantry, becoming 
frightened, and leaving the field in the early part of the 
engagement. McCall and other officers pleaded with 
them to come back and make a stand, and at length 
succeeded in getting them near the front. But it was 
only for a few minutes. Their fears again rose supe- 
rior to their courage, and they fled ignominiously from 
the field, leaving sixteen of their guns in the enemy's 
hands. This made thirty -two the gallant Reserves liad 
lost in three days. The enemy followed up his ad- 
vantage step by step, and our condition for a short 
time began to look gloomy enough. 

When McCall's line broke up, and the Reserves were 
swept from their position, the confused mass swung 
round against Kearney's left, when one of the fiercest 
and most destructive struggles of this war was kept up 
for an hour. Captain James Thompson, whose name 
deserves a prominent place in the history of this battle, 
wheeled his battery into position, and supported by 
the 63d Pennsylvania infantry, Colonel Alexander 
Hays, defended Kearney's left with great gallantry. 
The enemy would charge upon this battery in solid 
masses, and with a determination never excelled. 
Thompson, with his guns double-shotted, would wait 
until the enemy came within a few rods of his guns, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 595 

when lie would cut them down, and drive them stag- 
gering back like chaff before the wind. And such was 
the precision of his aim, that the enemy's dead lay piled 
in heaps before his guns. The 63d, too, held its posi- 
tion with great firmness, delivering its vollies with 
great rapidity, and at last making a gallant charge and 
driving the enemy back at the point of the bayonet. 
The courage and gallantry of this regiment was a re- 
deeming feature in the conduct of Pennsylvania troops 
during the day. 

Sedgwick now advanced boldly to the front, and 
materially assisted in holding the enemy in check along 
the line McCall had been driven from. Had Kearney's 
left been turned, and Sedgwick been driven from his 
position, Franklin would have been cut off, and his com- 
mand either destroyed or captured. 

Alarm began to spread, and gloom to settle over 
everything. So strong were the apprehensions of some 
of our officers, that they regarded the day as lost. 
Franklin had called on Sumner, who was at Glendale 
with Sedgwick, for reinforcements, at a time when it 
looked as if iiis strength to resist the enemy must give 
out. Two brigades came promptly; but they were sent 
back just in time to assist Sedgwick in his struggle. 

McCall was captured in trying to rally his troops. 
Hooker, by moving quickly to tlie right, tlirew his 
division upon the advancing enemy with great effect. 
The struggle now continued for two liours, and was of 
the most fierce and sanguinary description. The enemy 
knew the value of the ground he was thus desperately 



596 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

contending for, and he fonglit for it with a recklessness 
of life only those wlio witnessed it can appreciate. 

The steadiness of Sedgwick's, Kearney^s, and Hook- 
er's troops, their quick obedience to orders, and the 
examples of hei^oism set them by their officers, gave us 
the ground we had lost, but not a victory. When it 
was nearly dark, Kearney sent to Slocum for what tliere 
was left of his old Jersey brigade, wliich came on the 
field with two pieces of artillery, and took and held a 
position McCall had been driven from. The fighting 
had been terrible; our loss had been heavy, but the 
enemy's was probably three to our one. And we had 
recovered and held our ground, but gained nothing thafe 
could be called a victory. 

Franklin was all this time holding his position on 
the riglit, at the bridge, watching the enemy, and repul- 
sing all his attempts to force him from it and get on 
his flank. About 5 o'clock the enemy appeared in front 
of Porter, on the extreme left, near Malvern Hill. 
Warren, who commanded a provisional brigade, was 
sent to meet him, and after a severe engagement, in 
which he was materially assisted by the gunboats, re- 
pulsed him, and captured two of his ^uns and a number 
of prisoners. The action of the gunboats was a new 
feature in the struggle, and the destructive ejBfect of 
their ten-inch shells evidently retarded his move- 
ments and excited his fears. The fight here, however, 
grave rise to all sorts of wild rumors, some assortinir 
that we were cut off from the river, and that as oup 
supplies were exhausted, and our ammunition nearly so, 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 597 

tlie wliole army would be compelled to surrender in the 
morning. Later in the evening there was a still more 
serious and damaging rumor spreading along the line, 
to the effect that General McClellan had abandoned 
the army, gone on board a gunboat, and had left for 
Washington. Absurd as this rumor was, it gained 
belief, and had a serious effect on the troops. Officers 
were heard to say that a general, to gain victories and 
be successful, must be present, watch the tide of battle, 
and know when to take advantage of it. That he 
must be prepared to take all risks, never " let up '' 
when he had begun to fight, and to follow up advan- 
tages until they turned into substantial results. Others 
argued that an indomitable will was more necessary to 
a successful general than superior intelligence, which 
was apt to become oppressed with a i^mcied magnitude 
of the enemy. The knowledge necessary to dealing 
successful ly with these objects could not be gained by 
telegraph, and nature was, after all, the only school 
that gave a general decision of character and that bold- 
ness necessary to turning events to his advantage. 

General Seymour, whose misfortunes in this war 
have been manifold, came to our tieadquarters in the 
evening, and reported himself as all there was left of 
his gallant brigade of Pennsylvania Reserves. Three 
liorses had been shot under him, for he had fou^^ht 
bravely, and his vest was pierced with a bullet, lie 
bore his misfortune with rare contentment, and ev< n 
cheerfulness, referring to his wandering Reserves with 
philosophical charity. 

The public mind has been led into error by the siu.iru- 



698 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

larly confused accounts some writers for the news, 
papers have given of this battle. It is the common be- 
lief that Nelson's Farm, Glendale, and White Oak 
Swamp bridge, were distinct and separate battles; 
whereas they are all included in the battle of White 
Oak Swamp, the names only designating points along 
the line where the severest fighting was done. 

So great was the alarm and excitement caused by 
the rumors I have referred to above, and so bad their 
effect on the spirits of the troops, that many sincerely 
believed we could not fight another day, and must 
surrender to the enemy, or break up and find our way 
to Fort Monroe as best we could. I will relate an 
incident which goes far to give force to this statement. 
A surgeon connected with a division headquarters re- 
ported that he was present during the night when a con- 
sultation was held between four generals, (one the com- 
mander of a corps,) when the subject of surrendering 
the army was discussed. He stated that the decision 
come to was that it was inevitable; that the troops were 
exhausted from excessive labor and want of sleep, that 
our supplies were all gone, and being out of ammunition, 
we could no longer defend ourselves. This strange 
storj so alarmed an officer of cavalry, to whom the 
surgeon revealed it, that he drew his command (three 
companies) up in the morning, and, having stated what 
he had heard, proposed that they should be the first to 
surrender, that being the only alternative left. The 
men, be it said to their credit, were made of better 
stuff than their officers, and treated the proposal with 
dc::-ci"ved contcmnt. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 599 

It is night now, and wc must return to Franklin's 
position. The scouts, says Captain Philip, several 
times reported to us that the enemy was again concen- 
trating in our front, preparing to make a demonstra- 
tion in force. Richardson left a single gun bearing on 
the bridge, and its deep, booming sound echoed through 
the woods long after the column had passed down the 
road on its way to the James river. Soon after the 
column began moving, we received a report that the 
roads ahead were not only threatened, but that some of 
them were in possession of the enemy. Our prospect 
looked gloomy enough. General Smith proposed to 
make a forced march, and pass down by the Long 
Bridge road. Our troops could scarcely drag their 
weary limbs along, and were in no condition to make 
a forced march. 

The proposition was scarcely made when a messen- 
ger came in and reported that the enemy had closed 
and held the road in that direction. This put an end 
to Smith's project, and produced the satirical remark 
that he did not think the enemy would sacrifice his best 
friend in that way. 

The pickets were all left at their posts, the dead 
and wounded (with the exception of Kearney's, who 
bronglit his wounded off) were left on the field, the soli- 
tary gun kept up its booming, and we began our solemn, 
silent march in the darkness. A number of pontoons had 
been fired by some one, and the bright blaze threw a 
lurid glare over the strange picture. Silence was 
enjoined all along the line, and the men spoke only in 
whispers. Every one seemed to feel deeply impressed 



600 THE STORY or A TROOPER. 

with (lie necessity of keeping the enemy ignorant of 
our movements. 

Our advance guard of the Lincoln cavalry proceeded 
ahead with drawn sabres, to feel the way, and warn us^ 
of danger. A little after midnight, signal lights wc«o 
sent up at the head of the column. When we came to a 
bridge, or a deep ravine, the column would be halted, and 
scouts sent out to examine the ground, for if the reports 
we had received early in the evening were true, there 
was danger of meeting the enemy on some of the cross 
roads. Atone point the scouts ahead reported a large 
force moving down upon another road, to the south ol 
us. The column was at once halted, skirmishers thrown 
out, and every preparation made to meet an enemy. 
The force, however, turned out to be Heintzelman's 
corps, moving down over another road. Our column 
was put in motion again, and an order was sent ahead 
to halt the cavalry at a point where the road turned or 
forked, until the infantry came up. But when tlie in- 
fantry reached tlie point designated, nothing was to be 
seen of the cavalry. 

The column was again halted, and General Franklin 
sent Captain Philip to see what the difficulty was. " T 
worked my way," says this officer, " tlirougli the troops, 
and met an aid of General Hancock on his way to Gen- 
eral Franklin, with a request that he would come im- 
mediately to the front of the column. I was about 
pressing through the 20th regiment, when a noise, wliich 
turned out to be caused by a runaway horse or mule, 
was heard coming down the road through the woods, 
which made the men clear the road in great haste. 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 601 

They soon, however, recovered their courage, and be- 
lieving it to be a charge of the enemy's cavalry, the 
colonel ordered bayonets fixed, and prepared to resist 
it. The fact that a regiment liad been stampeded, and 
a whole division sent into a state of excitement by a 
runaway horse, caused considerable merriment. It 
was nearly daylight now, and on passing down to the 
head of the column, we saw wliat appeared to be a 
troop or squadron of cavalry, drawn up near the road, 
on a bit of rising ground. They had their sabres 
drawn, and seemed ready for action. It turned out, 
however, that they were a Dutcli company of the Lin- 
coln cavalry. The balance of tlie squadron (also 
Dutchmen) had been stampeded by the runaway horse, 
and were nowhere to be found. The Butch troopers 
formed here were at a rest, and half of them fast asleep 
on their horses. We tried to get them to move on, but 
it was of no use. Then Generals Franklin and Han- 
cock, and myself, went among them with drawn swords, 
but our efforts to move them were made in vain. No 
one could tell us which way the advance guard had 
gone, and, at the general's request, I rode aliead on the 
straight road to see if I could discover any cavalry 

tracks, or learn, if possible, where the had gone to. 

There was no evidence of cavalry having passed tliat 
way. I then returned and rode ahead over the other 
road, which proved to be tlie right one, with Generals 
Franklin and Hancock. After proceeding about a mile 
we discovered another body of cavalry, drawn up near 
a piece of woods, close to the road. This proved to 
be a part of our advance guard. They were ordered 



602 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

aliead at once, and word sent to the infantry to ad- 
vance. 

" It was now daylight of the morning of the 1st of 
July. We now reached and debouched into the broad 
open field on the east of Malvern hill, where our corps 
was to encamp and rest. I rode ahead with General 
Franklin to see General McClellan. We reached his 
headquarters at broad daylight, and found some of his 
staff oihccrs taking breakfast, preparatory to engaging 
in the scenes of the day. On emerging from tlie Gen- 
eral's tent I met an old friend in Captain John Rogers, 
of the gunboat Galena, who insisted on my going on 
board with liim to breakfast. I had not enjoyed a 
regular meal for five days, and was only too glad to 
accept his invitation. Colonel Murphy and Captain 
Jackson joined me, and we had a breakfast that made 
us feel as if we had got home again, and among 
friends. The quiet of the ship was such a change from 
the terrible scenes we liad passed through since leaving 
Trent's hill, as to produce a strange effect on the feel- 
ings. After a short time, Generals McClellan and 
Franklin came on board, and I went ashore. The en- 
emy had followed us up closel}^ after midnight, and 
were again reported in force on our front and 
wings. Some of us had hardly strength enough left to 
mount our horses. We were ordered out again on the 
field, and proceeded about two miles from the river, 
where Generals Slocum and Smith had their head- 
quarters. Franklin soon joined us, and the troops, 
scarcely able to drag tlieir weary limbs along, were 
Boon got into a tolerably strong position. The poor 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 608 

fellows came up infinitely better tlian we liad expected 
they would, and formed in line of battle, and evinced a 
disposition to again fight for their country, that should 
make their names memorable. We rode along and ex- 
amined the line our corps had formed, then took up a 
position in tlie rear and awaited the attack. It soon 
came. The enemy made his attack on Porter's fi-ont, 
and they soon became hotly engaged. Tlien some of 
our pickets began skirmishing, and we expected every 
moment to see the Confederate line break from the 
woods and attack our front." 



CHAPTER LI. 



MALVERN HILL. 

Rain began to fall in the morning, the ground became 
wet and damp, and the troops had another battle to 
fight before they could reach their base of supplies and 
rest with safety. Imagine yourself, reader, travelling 
in a south-westwardly direction. You have just passed 
tlirougli a dense forest of flat and wet land, a dozen 
miles or so in extent. You emerge from that forest into 
a strip of rolling country, with open fields and clearing, 
extending irregularly to your right and left, for a dis- 
tance of five or six miles, the James river being about 
three miles from you, on the right. About a mile dis- 
tant, in front of you, there is a rid^^e of high land, 
cleared on top for nearly a mile back. Its sides are 
steep from the centre to the right, where it breaks 
away into a deep, rugged ravine, which extends to the 
James river. A number of narrow roads wind up 
over it. Tlie position is one of great natural strength, 
and, indeed, forms a sort of fortress, and key to our 
phicc of safety on the river. The east end of the ridge 
slopes away into a low, wooded countr^^ 

At 8 o'clock in the morning we had sixty pieces of 
field artillerv and ten siege guns in position along the 

604 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 605 

crest of lliis ridge, where tliey could sweep tlie plain 
below in every direction. The gunboats had taken a 
position near the Bend, whence they could hurl their 
liuge ten-inch shells against the enemy's column ad- 
vancing on our right. Our infantry line was also 
formed, with Sykes's and Morreirs divisions, of Por- 
ter's corps, near the river; Coucli's division next; 
Kearney's and Hooker's divisions, of Ileintzelman's 
corps, next; Richardson's and Sedgwick's, of Sumner's 
corps, next; Smith's and Slocum's, of Franklin's corps, 
forming a curve, and, with the other division of Keyes's 
corps, extending backward through the low ground 
nearly to the James river. Porter had one brigade 
thrown forward over the ravine, into the low ground, 
near a clump of woods, to check any movement that 
midit be made on the main road leading from Rich- 
mond. The Pennsylvania Reserves were kept in a 
safe position in the rear of Porter and Couch, little 
being expected of them in the event of a severe struggle. 
The enemy soon saw the strength of our position, 
and a little after 9 o'clock began showing himself along 
the left, from Ileintzelman's position towards the river. 
He then advanced his artillery, and began shelling and 
skirmishing, but, finding he could not produce any 
effect, soon withdrew. About 11 o'clock General Mc- 
Clellan appeared on the field, and, after examining the 
line from one end to the other, took a position near 
Franklin, where he remained most of the day, closely 
watching every movement. Porter was in command 
of the field, which gave rise to some ill-feeling among 
oLlicr general oilicore, who asserted that General Mc- 



006 THE STORY OF A TROOPER- 

Clellan was giving to friendship what belonged to ca- 
pacity. 

Our position was such that if the enemy persisted in 
forcing us to another great struggle, it must be carried 
on chiefly between artillerj^ It was truly a grand, a 
glorious sight, to see with what a manly spirit the men 
of the Army of the Potomac came into line and stood 
ready to renew the fight with their sanguinary adver- 
sary. It stood out in bold and striking contrast to the 
conduct of some of our generals, who were only too 
ready to find an excuse for their want of courage in 
acknowledging our army beaten. Not all their weary 
night-marches; not all their figlits by day; neither 
hunger nor the discouragement of retreat, had made 
these men forget that they were patriot soldiers, who 
were there to fight for the life of the republic. And 
there was even something grand and imposing in the 
sight of that army as it stood along the crest of Mal- 
vern Hill, its batteries trained on the plain below, its 
infantry resting in line of battle, its banners fluttering, 
and its drums beating and bands playing. Yes; Mc- 
Clellan permitted the bands to play and the drums to 
beat at Malvern Hill, and the cliange was at once per- 
ceptible in the feelings of the soldiers. 

It is two o'clock; there has been some desultory 
firing on the extreme left, near the river; but the enemy 
has not yet made up his mind where to attack in force. 
We have just discovered him moving a strong column 
through the woods towards our right, and Franklin 
at once makes preparation to meet it. Bat it passes 
out of si,i2:ht, and we see no more of it. 



THE STORY OP A TROOPER. C07 

At three o'clock the enemy began to develop his 
force in front of Kearney and Couch. Then he ap- 
peared in force, and advanced rapidly, until within 
short range, when he opened a sharp fire with about 
twenty pieces of artillery. Our batteries replied with 
excellent effect, and the engagement at once became 
earnest and desperate. Finding that our guns were 
too skilfully handled, the enemy advanced a strong 
column of infantry, that came charging up the sloping 
ground against the sliowers of canister that were cut- 
ting down and thinning his ranks, with a gallantry 
and determination it were impossible not to admire. 
Our infantry " hugged the ground'' until the charging 
columns came witliin a few rods of the batteries, when 
they sprung to their feet and poured such a deadly and 
well-directed volley into their ranks as sent them back, 
shattered and broken. Both Couch and Kearney fol- 
lowed up the enemy with great spirit, and having driven 
him back nearly half a mile, took up a position in a 
piece of woods, where they had an excellent cover. 
The fight had lasted for about an hour, and had been 
so destructive to the enemy that the ground was strewn 
with his dead and wounded. 

The firing now almost entirely ceased all along the 
line. But the two armies stood facing each other, so 
close at some points that we could read the faces of 
the enemy's soldiers. We could also see the enemy 
bringing up fresh batteries of artillery, and massing 
them on our left, evidently intending to make his 
strongest attack on that point. Caldwell, with liis 
briirade, was sent down to hold a position on Couch's 



G08 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

right, and every precaution taken to meet tlie move- 
ment. A few minutes after the enemy opened a terri- 
ble fire of artillery, extending from Couch's right 
nearly down to Porter's left. It was one of the most 
severe and destructive fires he had concentrated upon 
us during the war, and the shell and round shot came 
sothick and fast into our lines as to caust some waver- 
ing and excitement among the advanced infantry. 
Then his columns of attack rushed from the cover of 
the woods and came sweeping up over the rolling 
ground, cheering and shouting in their wildest vein, as 
if resolved to carry the hill, no matter at what sacrifice 
of life. Our artillery, double-shotted, hurled their 
showers of canister against these advancing columns, 
cut great swaths in his ranks, and literally filled them 
with his dead and wounded. Still it did not seem to 
break his determination. Like the wave that breaks 
ao-ainst the shore and recedes only to come back with 
renewed strength, the enemy would advance brigade 
after brigade of fresh troops, and after each repulse 
he would rush forward again with apparently renewed 
strength. The enemy's fighting was that of a despair- 
ing man, making a last desperate struggle for life. The 
steady and well-directed fire of our artillery, the accu- 
racy and range of the siege guns, handled by the First 
Connecticut Artillery, under command of Colonel Tyler, 
and the rapidity of the vollies the infantry poured 
into the advancing enemy, sent them staggering back 
each time — broken, disappointed, and in disorder. The 
waste of life in these charges was something sad to 
contemplate. The enemy seemed seized with some 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 609 

strange delirium, and, in hurling column after column 
against our strongest positions, showed but too pain 
fully the disregard with wliich lie sent his men to 
certain destruction. At times his columns, braving 
the storm of shot and shell hurled at tliem, would 
charge up the hill and to the very muzzles of the guns, 
where they would be blown away like chaff, and piled 
up in heaps in the gorges. 

Our infantry, after the first excitement was over, 
fought with great gallantry and steadiness. More 
than once, when it seemed impossible that we could 
longer resist the enemy's impetuosity, and that we 
should have to yield some of our batteries, the infantry 
would advance boldly to the front, deliver a destructive 
volley, and then charge with the bayonet, capturing 
flags and prisoners, and driving the enemy's columns 
back in confusion. For more than an hour the battle 
raged with great fury and destruction of life. But the 
enemy failed in all his attempts to carry the hill. Each 
of his charging columns had been shattered, broken, and 
driven back, and the open space in front of Couch's and 
Kearney's batteries were covered witli his dead and 
wounded. Still his spirit and resolution were not 
broken, and his courage seemed unconquerable. We, 
also, had suffered severely, and a number of our regi- 
ments had been badly cut up and needed replacing with 
fresh ones. Others had expended tlieir last round of 
ammunition, and had only the bayonet left for use. 
Several of tlie batteries, too, liad fired their last shot, 
and others from the reserve liad to be brought up. 
Ammunition trains were not to be found, having in some 
27 



610 THE STORY Of A TROOPEtl. 

iiistaDces gone to the rear with the wagon trains, and 
so rapid had been our firing that at one time great un- 
easiness was felt lest we sliould run out altogetlier. 

The enemy still kept bringing up fresh troops, and 
at 7 o'clock began massing an increased force on our cen- 
tre and left. Sickles, with the Excelsior, and Meagher, 
with his Irisli brigade, advanced to the relief of such 
of Porter's troops as had borne the brunt of the fight, 
and renewed the battle in gallant style. At 7.30 the 
enemy threw the whole strength of his force against 
our centre and left, making one of the most determined 
attacks of the day. For fifteen minutes his columns 
pressed forward, closing up the gaps made in his ranks 
at every discharge of our artillery, and again pressing 
nearly up to the muzzles of the guns. Again our infan- 
try sprang to their feet, delivered a volley that seem- 
ed to cut a line in the advancing ranks, following the 
effect up by a desperate charge of the bayonet. The 
force of that charge sent the enemy staggering back 
over the ground he had gained, in confusion and dis- 
order. But he would recover again, and return to the 
^ght with apparently renewed strength. The two 
armies were still engaged in this terrible struggle when 
the sun went down, and its mellow rays, as they 
pla}^d over Malvern hill, the roar of cannon, the explo- 
sion of shells, the clash of arms, the ghastly features ol 
the slain, and the heavy cloud of smoke that cast a dim 
shadow over the scene, told but too painfully how fierce- 
ly and obstinately they were contending for victory. 
One was fighting to destroy the republic ; the other was 
fighting to preserve it. One was fighting for right, jus- 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 611 

ticc, and freedom. The other to perpetuate injustice, 
to violate conscience and reason, to uphold forever one 
of the greatest crimes mankind had ever been scourged 
with. Justice and right triumphed; and when darkness 
came, the cheers and shouts of the Union army attested 
the victory it had gained. Cheer after cheer went up, 
shouts of triumph mingled with the peals of cannon 
and the clash of arms, verberating and reverberating 
through the woods and along the lines, and closing the 
terrible tragedy with an halo of inspiration, grand and 
affecting. 

At 8i o'clock the enemy had been driven from the 
field evervwhere, and his lines were in confusion and 
disorder. Our victory over him was complete, and the 
news of his defeat reached Richmond at 9 o'clock, 
when a panic seized upon the people. No sophistry the 
Confederate authorities could use seemed to cover up 
the fact that the Confederate army had been badly 
beaten and suffered heavy loss. The woods were filled 
with the enemy's shattered and broken columns, which 
went straggling back into the city on the following 
morning. General Fitz John Porter had redeemed 
himself, and by his gallantry on the field, as well as his 
coolness and skill in handling the troops, completely 
regained the confidence of his men. 

The reader does not need to be told here that our 
strength, if not our fortitude, was exhausted; that we 
had not the means, however good might have been our 
dispositioQ, to follow up this victory and grasp the 
advantage it had opened to us. The excitement of 
battle gave strength to, and seemed to keep up the 



612 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

spirits of our troops, who forgot tlieir own sufferings in 
their anxiety to sustain their country's cause. And 
victory made them feel that they were at least tlie 
enemy's equal in all that constitutes the true soldier. 
But when the excitement of battle ceased their strength 
gave way, and hunger and fatigue again returned to 
assume their sway over human endurance. 

There was another weary night march to make before 
the army reached its place of rest and security on the 
James river, the sight of which was to be to the troops 
like a promised land. But the feeling of admiration 
excited by the courage and endurance displayed by our 
soldiers in battle changed to one of pity, as, in the dark- 
ness of night, the column began moving by the left and 
rear, and wended its weary way along over the heavy 
roads. McClellan had gained the object of his ambition. 
He had saved the Army of the Potomac, though at heavy 
cost of life, and not without some disgrace to our arms. 
And the Army of the Potomac had made for itself a 
name anions: the armies of the world. It had done 
even more. It had indicated the power of the free 
North, and given to the world an illustration of the 
courage and endurance of Northern troops. 

xlt midnight we were again in motion, moving from 
the Bend to Harrison's Landing. General Keyes, with 
his Corps, and Colonel Averill, with his cavalry, 
were entrusted with the responsible duty of covering 
the movement, and both performed it with admirable 
skill. The latter so disposed his force of cavalry as to 
completely deceive the enemy, whom he held in check 
until long after daylight, when he began following us 



THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 613 

up and making feeble attempts to annoy our rear. A 
drencliing rain set in just after midnight, adding to the 
discomfiture of the troops, and seriously impeding our 
march. So exhausted and worn out were the men, that 
whenever a column halted, numbers of them would drop 
down, and in another minute be in a sound sleep, from 
which it seemed almost impossible for their comrades 
to wake them when the march was resumed. Many of 
*them, when aroused from their deep slumber, by telling 
them the enemy was coming, would spring to their feet, 
and, grasping their muskets, put themselves in an atti- 
tude of defence. 

Captain Philip tells of an incident that occurred 
during this night march which forcibly illustrates the 
complete exhaustion of our troops. Having been sent 
down to General McClellan's headquarters for orders, 
he says: '*I returned about lOJ o'clock, and after con- 
siderable trouble found General Franklin, who was 
suffering from a complaint that had seized upon the 
whole army, under some trees, lying down by a fire. 
An hour or so after he mounted, and, with several mem- 
bers of his staff, moved off. On looking for my horse 
to join him, he w*as not to be found. Here was a di- 
lemma. After searching for some time I found the ani- 
mal, and the man asleep holding him. On mounting, 
I joined what I thought to be the general's escort, fol- 
lowing him, but wdiich turned out to be a body of cav- 
alry going the other way, in an opposite direction. 
Doctor Brown, medical director of the Sixth Corps, 
joined me in the darkness, under the supposition that I 
was following the general. As soon as we discovered 



614 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

our mistake we turned and proceeded in the opposite 
direction, and in the course of half an hour fell in with 
a portion of General Porter's Corps, the rest having 
passed down. It now commenced raining fearfully, 
and tlie roads were becoming heavy. The doctor, 
overcome by hard work and constant watching, fell 
fast asleep on his horse. I tried in vain to arouse him 
to consciousness, and was at length obliged to lead his 
horse off the road, while holding him on. While taking 
the doctor off, the poor horse listed against a wet tree, 
and seemed quite as much overcome as his rider." One 
of the most striking features of this remarkable retreat 
was the spirit and endurance displayed by the poor 
animals, which for six days had been compelled to sub- 
sist on what little grass they could pick during the 
halts. 

**A sort of stupor seemed to have come over the doc- 
tor. He woke up after a little while, apparently re- 
freshed, and mounting his poor, jaded animal, we pro- 
ceeded on our journey iu quest of the general. It was 
very dark, and after passing through a dense wood, 
about daylight w^e came into a magnificent open coun- 
try, with fields of waving wheat, ripe for the reaper, 
extending as far as the eye could reach, with spacious 
dwellings, surrounded by negro cabins and fine shade 
trees. We passed on through this new and beautiful 
country until we came in sight of the James river, the 
cheering influences of which made one's heart leap for 
joy. A drenching rain was still falling, and the weary 
and worn troops, as they debouched into the open 
fields, trampling down the ripe harvest, was a sight no 



TliE STORY OF A TROOPER. 615 

pen can describe. Trees were souglit as a shelter for 
oflQcers, who were laying down in groups under them, 
some enjoying a sound sleep, others satisfying the crav- 
ings of hunger with a cracker and bit of salt pork. 
Then a group of wounded, exposed to the pelting 
storm, were seen dressing their own scars, with a pa- 
tience and indifference to pain truly remarkable. A 
few cedars would form shelter for another group of 
sleepers, while some sleepy negro struggled against the 
elements to get fire from a few sticks to cook some 
coffee. Whenever a column or regiment halted, two- 
thirds of the men would drop down and go fast asleep, 
regardless of the mud and rain. This continued during 
the day of the 2d of July and a portion of the 3d, and 
we had fresh army rations for our banquet on the 4th. 
"I found the old Corps, after some trouble, and we 
had a good cup of coffee with Colonel Matheson and 
Major Lamon, of the 31st New York. We then pro- 
ceeded to our headquarters, which we found pitched 
near the river. We were having some fighting with 
the enemy on our rear, and it was reported that he was ^ 
advancing rapidly for another attack. A few minutes 
after I reached headquarters an order came to General 
Franklin to get the old division (Slocum's) in line and 
proceed back to our old position, near Herring run, 
and be prepared to meet the enemy. I proceeded with 
the order, and found the men lying by regiments on the 
ground, in the heavy rain, and apparently unable to 
move their weary limbs. It was, indeed, witli the 
utmost difficulty that they could be aroused from their 
position and got into line. It was, however, done at 



616 THE STORY OF A TROOPER. 

last, and it was surprising to see, after a few minutes, 
Avitli wliat an air of clieerfulness tliey again went out 
to meet the enemy." He did not come, and it turned 
out tliat the reports of his adv^ancing in force were 
unfounded. The division marched back, and remained 
undisturbed in its place of rest; and with that day 
ended the fighting of the Army of the Potomac on tlie 
Peninsula, while under the command of General Mc- 
Clellan. 



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